Benazir Bhutto. — File photo

CHITRAL, Dec 3: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday claimed that all killers of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had been arrested and their identity would be disclosed on Dec 27, the fifth anniversary of her assassination.

Addressing a meeting of Pakistan People’s Party workers here, Mr Malik said his successful strategy had led to the division of the banned militant organisation, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), into three factions and that TTP leaders Waliur Rehman, Zahid and Ihsanullah Ihsan were fighting for their survival.

He said he had gathered information about Ihsanullah Ihsan and his foreign masters and their agenda, and would be disclosing them all shortly.

The minister announced amnesty for TTP activists, who had abandoned militancy and agreed to live a peaceful life.

“It is a fact that majority of TTP workers are those who do it (carry out militant activities) out of poverty and unemployment,” he said, adding that he would provide jobs in government departments to those leaving the Taliban.

Mr Malik said the US should stop drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas and shouldn’t ask a nation, which had already lost 40,000 of its people in the war against terror, to do more against terrorism.

He criticised Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the increasing incidents of intrusions from across the border and said: “Enough is enough and now we will chase infiltrators into Afghan territory.”

“How they (Afghan government) talk of peace by providing safe shelter to Fazlullah and Faqir Mohammad on their soil to enable them to carry out their nefarious activities against Pakistan,” he said.

The minister criticised PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif over hostile remarks against President Zardari and warned that he (Nawaz) didn’t behave, then he would be paid back in the same coin.

He announced to enhance the existing strength of district border police from 400 to 1,500 to effectively check intrusions from Afghan areas and create a 732-strong wing of Chitral Scouts.

Mr Malik also announced to increase the number of Chitrali platoons of Frontier Constabulary from seven to 20 and said that would create employment opportunities for thousands of youths in the area.

He said the local passport office would be upgraded to issue machine readable passports, while another one would begin functioning in Mastuj tehsil within two weeks.

Minister of Communication Arbab Alamgir, provincial President of PPP Women’s Wing Asma Alamgir, PPP MNA from Bajaur Akhunzada Chattan and party MPA from Punjab Ashraf Sona also addressed the meeting.

Outside the place, activists of a faction of PPP Student Wing party led by deposed President Bibi Jan kept shouting slogans against the leadership. They were taken away by police.

Opinion

Editorial

Economic plan?
Updated 15 Dec, 2024

Economic plan?

So long as the government does not realise that it needs to put its own house in order, growth will remain anaemic and the world will be reluctant to help.
Registration tussle
15 Dec, 2024

Registration tussle

MAULANA Fazlur Rehman appears to be having trouble digesting the fact that he was taken for a ride. The government,...
Dangerous overreach
15 Dec, 2024

Dangerous overreach

THE latest wave of arrests and cases filed against journalists and social media users under Peca marks an alarming...
Half measures
Updated 14 Dec, 2024

Half measures

The question remains: Were suspects' prolonged detention, subsequent trial, and punishments ever legal in eyes of the law?
Engaging with Kabul
14 Dec, 2024

Engaging with Kabul

WHILE relations with the Afghan Taliban have been testy of late, mainly because of the feeling in Islamabad that the...
Truant ministers
Updated 14 Dec, 2024

Truant ministers

LAWMAKERS from both the opposition and treasury benches have been up in arms about what they see as cabinet...