ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday said that decisions to conduct an operation in Karachi and to initiate peace talks with Taliban militants had been taken after thorough homework by the federal government.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Thursday, Nisar said that the government would take decisions on all important issues keeping in view national dignity, sovereignty and integrity.

The interior minister said that the people had given the federal government the mandate to initiate peace dialogue with Taliban militants. “We will take everybody in confidence before we take a decision,” he said.

“The government should be given time and space as we assure that consultation would be done with all the stakeholders including political parties and the Army,” he added.

The interior minister said that the counter-terrorism operation by security forces in Karachi was started on the federal government's directives.

“We are in a continuous process of consultation and are in close contact with all parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)," he said, adding that the operation was successfully progressing under Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah's 'captaincy'.

Nisar clarified that he had not stopped an intelligence reports from being submitted in the Supreme Court because they included the Muhajir Republican Army's name in it, but because the report was not worth being submitted in court.

Nisar said that in the report, intelligence on the Muhajir Republican Army (MRA) pointed not in the direction of the MQM but elsewhere.

“This report was not prepared recently but during the former coalition government of the Pakistan People's Party and the MQM,” he said.

Speaking further about the little-known organisation, he said that the MRA had claimed responsibility of several terrorist activities through the use of SMSs and other means.

“We do not know who they are or where they operate from, but the MRA is not linked to the MQM,” he clarified.

“The rangers have conducted 400 targeted operations and over 1000 actions were done by the police,” the interior minister informed.

He said the first phase of the action had not yet been completed and the Rangers had so far achieved success. The operation would further be intensified in the second and third phases, he said.

“We believe that so far only 10 per cent of the work has been completed. There is a lot more left to do,” said Nisar.

“Terrorists are running out of Karachi and they would not find any place to hide and brought to justice. If we continue working like this then the day will come when anti-state elements will be completely wiped out,” he said.