Never said there is no presence of Daesh in Pakistan: Nisar

TAXILA: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told journalists on Tuesday that he never said that there was no presence of Daesh in Pakistan, he clarified that decision makers of Daesh have no presence in the country.

The interior minister told journalists that there are 45 different terrorist organizations operating in Pakistan. He added that it is the same people from these terrorist organizations that break away and take on the name of Daesh.

The Interior Minister regretted that a number of TV talk shows are held to discuss non-issues like whether Daesh is present in Pakistan or not. “If Daesh is really present in Paksitan, then identify them…identify the people with Arabic names,” he added.

He said those using the name of Daesh have been marked and are in the cross-hairs of the law enforcing agencies.

He was addressing a press conference after the leader of the opposition in the national assembly Syed Khursheed Shah asked how terrorism can be eradicated in a country where the interior minister is so weak.

Hamid Mir Attack

The interior minister told journalists that after the attack on Geo News anchor Hamid Mir he had asked the then DG Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) General Zaheerul Islam to get to the bottom of it.

“However, no progress has been made on the matter till today,” he added.

Nisar said although issues like enforced disappearances or attack on Hamid Mir are provincial matters, the Federal government extended its complete cooperation.

He said the govt considers and declares enforced disappearances a serious violation of human rights. “This is intolerable.”

He then compared the present situation of Balochistan and Federally Administered Areas (FATA) with how it looked a few years back when the incumbent government assumed power. He said the situation has improved to a good extent.

Pathankot Investigation

The Interior Minister said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is carrying out the probe into the armed attack on India’s Pathankot air base.

He said meetings of SIT have held and in a few days the foreign office of Pakistan will send a request to India to allow the SIT to visit Pathankot.

Maulana Abdul Aziz

He reiterated that if someone has broken the law, action will be taken against him. “If you have evidence against him present it to us,” he added.