Interior Minister Rehman Malik — File photo

QUETTA: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Saturday that foreign elements were behind banned terrorist outfits in Pakistan to destabilise the country.

Talking to reporters at Quetta Airport soon after his arrival here, he said “foreign hand has been involved in conspiracies to destabilise Pakistan through terrorist acts”.

He said terrorist organisations had been activated in the province of Balochistan after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

“After fighting with the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police, they have now been attacking innocent people and children,” he said adding that they claimed responsibility for killing women.

He said that elements involved in anti-peace activities were not well wishers of Islam and Pakistan. He added that terrorists only wanted bloodshed and destabilisation in the country.

Replying to a question, he said that although law and order situation had improved in rural areas of Balochistan, terrorists were active in Quetta.

He said that attacking the residence of Deputy Inspector General FC in Quetta and killing a colonel, a woman and other officials and personnel was part of a conspiracy to destabilise the country. “We know who is behind the planning to try to destabilise Pakistan,” he said.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had offered Baloch nationalists to come down from the mountains and initiate dialogues with the government so that a sense of deprivation prevailing in the people of Balochistan could be removed.

He said heinous crimes like kidnapping for ransom and others had been reported in Balochistan.

However, with efforts of Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani and other authorities, the problem of unrest and lawlessness would be resolved soon.

He pledged that stern action would be taken against elements found involved in terrorist acts.

“We have arrested a number of persons following intelligence reports about their involvement in anti-peace activities”.