News
Saturday, October 09, 2010
All options open to defend country: Rehman Malik
* Interior minister says attacks inside Pakistan are violation of NATO’s mandate
By Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday said that Pakistani defence forces were fully capable and alert to country’s defence and would use any option to this end.
Responding to points of order in the National Assembly regarding ISAF forces’ incursion into Pakistan, Malik said NATO mandate limited it to carrying out operations within Afghanistan and attacks inside Pakistan were a clear violation of it. He said the government knew what it had to do about NATO attacks inside Pakistan and the US, NATO and the CIA chief have been told that Pakistan will not tolerate recurrence of any such act. “We have conveyed the rage of the government and people of the country to ISAF and US,” he said. On NATO apology over the attack that killed three Pakistani soldiers, Malik said, “Apology is fine. But no more incursion in future. We do not want it to be repeated. Pakistani nation and armed forces are fully capable to defend motherland.” The minister further said, “The government reserves the right to use other options in case of recurrence,” he said.
Commenting on the attack on Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s shrine in Karachi, the Malik informed the National Assembly that one of the suicide bombers who attacked the shrine hailed from FATA and was identified as Masood. “He is resident of South Waziristan. Investigations … lead to FATA,” he said, adding, “Hostile elements, after suffering defeat in Swat and Malakand, are targeting our economic hub Karachi.” They are trying to instigate sectarian violence and want to destabilise the country, Malik said.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk