Interior Minister Rehman Malik. – File Photo

MIRPUR: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday advised Taliban to furnish the children with pen and book, instead of preparing them for suicide attacks and asked them to surrender by disarming themselves and refrain from playing into the hands of the enemy.

He said the government had taken various steps to curb tendencies of extremism and terrorism in the country.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the passport office in Islamgarh town of Mirpur district, he said “We want the youth of Pakistan to carry book and pen instead of the suicide jackets.”

AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and others also addressed the ceremony.

The Interior Minister said suicide incidents had reduced considerably and law and order had improved to a great extent.

The minister said that following the reconciliatory policy of President Asif Ali Zardari, the country succeeded in achieving speedy progress, stability and prosperity.

Malik recalled that the country was on the verge of destruction when the PPP came into power. The law and order situation was worsening and the economy was in bad shape, he added.

He said the PPP government focused on improving the law and order situation. After relentless efforts of the law enforcing agencies, the terrorism was brought under control, he added.

The minister said efforts were being made to eliminate extremism and terrorism not only from the country but in the region as well.

He reiterated the present government’s resolve to take all political parties along while dealing major national issues in the national interest.

He advised the PML-N not to be anguished with the federal government as it was people who had confined it to a province.

He said that those talking of staging ‘long-march or short march’ will be able to evaluate their position in the coming March (referring to Senate election.)

Expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir on behalf of the people and the Government of Pakistan, Rehman Malik said that Pakistan would continue to extend moral political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris struggle for the right to self-determination.

Earlier the Minister inaugurated the passport office at Islamgarh, the constituency of AJK Prime Minister Ch. Abdul Majeed.

The office will benefit thousands of UK-based Kashmiri expatriates hailing from Islamhgarh and rest of the adjoining areas.