ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday conceded that the rift between the military and the government were caused by some statements. However, he said the controversy would be over soon.
Addressing a press conference at the Punjab House, he said that civil-military relations had become stronger than in the past. He said that the government and military had the same ‘Qibla’ (direction).
“However, irritants have been created at some stages but we will get over them and we are right on the line,” the minister said.He ruled out the release of Taliban combatants, saying that no such demand was made by the TTP either.
The minister said that there was no difference of policies between the government and the military regarding the dialogue process and the release of non-combatant prisoners. The release of non-combatants was carried out with consensus, he added. He maintained that the army was on board regarding the release of non-combatants.
He said that had the armed forces not been fully on board, the progress he had made in dealing with the Taliban wouldn’t have been possible.The government had held consultations with the army over the issue of setting Taliban prisoners free, he said.
Nisar said neither were the peace talks suspended nor was there any deadlock in this connection.He dispelled the impression that there was a deadlock in peace talks between the government and the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The minister said that a comprehensive dialogue with the Taliban would start from the next meeting to be held in a couple of days.Talks between the government side and the Taliban were formally started a couple of weeks ago and the next meeting would be held with a comprehensive agenda, he said.
“Our agenda for the next meeting with the Taliban is peace, the Constitution and the law. We want complete peace in the country and things are moving in the right direction”, he said. He contradicted the news item that a Taliban commander had been released.
The minister noted that three to seven violent incidents had taken place prior to the talks but recently not a single such act had occured.“A second round of direct talks between the government and Taliban mediators will be held next week as per schedule,” he said.
“It was mutually agreed in our previous meeting with the Taliban’s interlocutors that talks would be held either on Monday and Tuesday or after this Sunday,” he explained.
The government negotiation committee would go to Wazirsitan to hand over the list of prisoners in a few days, he said. Some foreign elements, he said, were trying to sabotage the peace process.
He said the war could not be fought and won by the security forces alone, adding that the whole nation would have to unite to win the fight against terrorism.Nisar elaborated that civil-military relations were very positive and called for avoiding political point-scoring on national security issues.
He appreciated the role of some opposition parties in this regard. “The PTI, despite being an opposition party, has demonstrated responsibility on the issue of terrorism,” he added. Talking about progress regarding the investigation into the Islamabad Sabzi Mandi blast, Nisar said that satisfactory leads were traced during the last 72 hours. He said that it had been confirmed that the device was planted in a guava box transported from southern Punjab by a passenger bus to Pir Wadhai and later shifted to Sabzi Mandi by a Suzuki pickup. He said that the people engaged in the investigation of the case focused on the activists involved in planting the explosive device in the guava box and rounded up 8 to 10 persons who transported the box to Pir Wadhai and shifted it to Sabzi Mandi.
The specific vehicle was also included in the probe, he said.He avoided giving the name of the city from where the guava crate was loaded. Sources hinted that the crate was loaded from areas adjoining Muzaffargarh.
The people who had ruined the security situation of the country were criticising the government and statements were being issued by people under whose rule the situation had reached its current state, he said.
Nisar disclosed that the Baloch group which had claimed responsibility for the Islamabad fruit market blast was not involved in the terrorist attack. He lashed out at opposition parties for scoring points on the media following the Islamabad bombing.
The minister pointed out that even the Taliban had condemned the recent incident in Islamabad’s fruit and vegetable market, terming it an un-Islamic and immoral act. This was a major shift on their part, which was a positive development, he added.
He said the government was committed to ensure the installation and provision of a modern security system in the federal capital within a year.The central command system was being upgraded, with the installation of 2,400 of the latest security cameras, besides capacity building of security personnel, he added.
The minister said the elite force from Punjab and Rangers would be deployed in the federal capital for better security and surveillance. The latest equipment would also be provided to the law enforcement agencies.
Nisar said the Islamabad police were working on the investigation report on the fruit market blast, taking all aspects into consideration to ensure a thorough probe.He said it was not possible to ensure proper security of the fruit and vegetable market having an area of 400 kanals and with an adjacent Katchi Abadi (slum) of 200,000 inhabitants, including foreigners.
He said it was not possible to manually check everyone as 10,000 to 15,000 people visited the place at a time, while around 250 vehicles came to the market daily.He said not all but several unregistered people had been living in the Katchi Abadis for the last 12 years. “Who had allowed them to live there?” he asked.
He said the residents of Katchi Abadis should be shifted to other places, but not those who were unregistered. The National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) had been given the task to ascertain the particulars of these people and the police would be involved in the next phase for the verification of their record, he added.
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