Parliamentarians concern over the deteriorating law and order and demand for devolving the Interior Ministry prompted Interior Minister Rehman Malik into making “un-parliamentary remarks” that triggered a ruckus in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
However, the protesting opposition members, led by PML-N’s Mahtab Khan Abbasi, cooled down when the chair assured them that he would expunge the minister’s remarks. The protesters had opposed the demand for grants by the Interior Ministry, saying the taxpayers’ money was going down the drain as the security situation had gone from bad to worse.
“I can expose many dacoits (politicians) involved in looting and plundering of banks if I am allowed a special in-camera briefing for the members,” Malik said, triggering an uproar in the House as most of the opposition members led by Abbasi stood up and condemned what they called objectionable remarks in the presence of several women members. Malik also called for a special session to brief the members about the stark details of terrorism.
Criticising the politicians and parties who he labelled sympathisers of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Malik said such politicians were either afraid of the TTP or were seeking bribes from terrorists. “They (TTP) are killers of children and the next generation. We have to rise above politics and think as a nation to counter terrorism. These people lure innocent children and turn them into suicide bombers. They are now kidnapping innocent girls to turn them into suicide bombers. My criticism disturbs those who are sympathisers of the TTP,” the interior minister said.
“But let me tell you that I can die, but will never praise terrorists,” he said. Malik said there were various forces which were destabilising the country, adding that law enforcement agencies’ offensive against the Taliban in Bajaur and Mohmand continued successfully. He said the militants had retreated and crossed over into Afghanistan, they had regrouped there were now attacking Pakistan. Malik said the terrorists from Afghanistan intruded into Pakistan every third or fourth day.
“This time we killed 70 of the intruders. The government is taking action against them and will continue to do so,” Malik said, adding that he was committed to flush out the terrorists. He said the institutions that were strength of the nation and should not be criticised. “Kill me if you want, but don’t hit the armed forces,” he added. He said intelligence agencies had helped avert around 1,100 suicide attacks across Pakistan in the last year only.
TThe minister briefed the House on progress on the Karachi killing by Rangers, the Abbottabad Operation and the Saleem Shehzad murder case. He said the government had announced commission headed by a judge of the apex court, while the nomination of Justice (r) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim was made, as the opposition leader had proposed his name. Commenting in the commission to probe Saleem Shehzad’s murder, Malik said he had contacted some responsible person in the apex court and requested for the nomination of a serving judge to head the commission.
“But I was told that there is a dearth of judges”, while in a commission, other members would also have to have the status of a judge. So the government decided to nominate the chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court, but the nomination was turned down by journalists. Malik praised NADRA for identifying millions of fake voters in consultation with the chief election commissioner.
Benazir: Malik said perpetrators of Benazir Bhutto’s murder and her assassins had been identified, APP reported. “The assassins and perpetrators of Benazir Bhutto’s murder have been identified. Some have been arrested while others have been declared proclaimed offenders. I will disclose who they were, where the plan was prepared and how they came to Rawalpindi if the party leadership allows,” Malik told reporters at the Parliament House.
