Lal Masjid's Abdul Aziz provided security by PPP govt, says Nisar
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ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday, in an implicit response to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmakers’ criticism of his ‘inaction’ against Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Aziz, alleged it was the previous PPP-led government which had ‘provided Aziz security guards.’
In a press conference in Islamabad, the interior minister said no one was above the law “but the government cannot arrest someone just to appease a section of society.”
“I never said that there is no FIR registered against Abdul Aziz, he had at least 31 cases registered against him,” said the minister, adding that “out of these, 12 were of a serious nature.”
Nisar had come under immense pressure to take action against Aziz after four key legal documents, asserting that the cleric was an absconder, were presented last month in the Upper House by Senator Farhatullah Babar.
Earlier, in a policy statement presented to senate on Dec 30, 2015, Nisar had said that if anyone came up with documentary evidence against Aziz, immediate action will be taken regardless of political considerations.
Related: Nisar under fire for 'misleading' House on Abdul Aziz
Investigation team to be sent to Pathankot
Nisar told media Pakistan is investigating the attack on the Indian Air Force base and and a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed in this regard had met four times.
“A special investigation team will be sent to India to launch a probe and we will soon request the Indian government to allow the team a formal visit,” the minister said.
Also Read: After the Pathankot affair
Old militants using Daesh's name
Nisar repeated his earlier claim that the militant Islamic State (IS) group is a Middle Eastern and North African group and has no presence in Pakistan.
He said some militant groups were using Daesh's name to “grab headlines over their activities.” Nisar also criticised media for “giving headlines space to such claims.”
“Even naming these groups on media increases their profile.”
He also lamented that some politicians “are issuing statements regarding the group’s presence in Pakistan for the same purpose.”
“I urge them to bring any evidence of group's presence in the country before issuing such statements,” said Nisar, adding that the DG Intelligence Bureau's statement regarding the issue was misconstrued.
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Comments (53) Closed
Feb 16, 2016 07:23pm
Political governments have no guts to deal with terrorists in fact history tells us that they always tried to calm the terrorists / extremists if you read the whole episode of Lal Masjid saga you will find some interesting facts that how political governments of PPP and PML (N) have been begging the Mullahs of Lal Masjid
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Feb 16, 2016 07:28pm
Ok so its my job, an ordinary vegetable vendor in Islamabad to get evidence against somebody who has 30 cases registered against him.
Why am I paying salary to this minister, IG Islamabad, 10,000 police staff, and hundreds of intelligence people. I would like to dismiss all of them before I arrange the evidence against a person who comes on TV and threats the nation of fidayee (suicide) attacks.
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Feb 16, 2016 07:29pm
Neither PPP doesn't have the spine to go after the extremists. For its part, in the Punjab, the PML-N has a history of alliances of political convenience with them.
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Feb 16, 2016 07:32pm
Instead of back passing the buck, you batter do the needful for correcting the wrong done and then put the blame on who ever you want!
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Feb 16, 2016 07:34pm
Nisar; a brave, straightforward, and honest Minister.
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Feb 16, 2016 07:36pm
Don't beat about the bush Ch sahab. PPP is no more in power, now stop mud slinging and remove the security.
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Feb 16, 2016 07:40pm
You failed in delivering, your government disaster.
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Feb 16, 2016 07:40pm
Some of the things our interior minister said can hardly be confirmed. Did PPP really provide Maulana Lal Masjid any security? Are Taliban using Daesh name to get publicity?
Can't our government be transparent in cases like these?
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Feb 16, 2016 07:47pm
I thought he is in power since 2013 but he talking like as if he came in power yesterday Ch sahib may I remind you that your are interior minister since 2013 and PPP is no more in power please stop making lame excuses to hide your incompetence if not connivance in crime
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Feb 16, 2016 07:48pm
This interior minister is lacking the will to take this Molvi to task.
N league has some minister's support for these extremists
God helps Pakistan from this weak government
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Feb 16, 2016 07:49pm
Oh heavens above. This man and his followers openly support anti Pakistan outfits that are out to do harm to people of pakistan (and they do nat care about men, women or children, young or old) and the Government of Pakistan, then how how come this man is provided security by the state for what. And even if the security was provided by PPP then what is stopping Chaudary Nissar taking that security away now and this instance, he does not require an Act of Parliament, does he? I hope not.
PPP bigwigs should also be asked to answer the same question? as to why oh why?
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Feb 16, 2016 07:50pm
Government of PML-N is scared of Lal masjid extremist leader Mulana Aziz. This government will never will be able to get rid of terrorism from Pakistan.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:01pm
@Shaukat Ali Khan that's the reason of asking people to provide evidence.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:12pm
@Shaukat Ali Khan such a brave leader he is that instead of taking some action against him he is playing that blame game. All these two parties can do is to take turns for government and do counter criticism. Nothing good can come out of them.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:16pm
Both parties (PPP/PML) have political affiliation with extremists groups blaming each others and fooling the general public
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Feb 16, 2016 08:17pm
Extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary action. Civilian govt in Pakistan have never been strong enough to take tough actions primarily because they are themselves not clean.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:19pm
“I never said that there is no FIR registered against Abdul Aziz, he had at least 31 cases registered against him,” said the minister, adding that “out of these, 12 were of a serious nature.”- What a ludicrous statement. 12 cases of serious nature but Mullah Aziz can't be arrested.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:19pm
@Shaukat Ali Khan Straight forward says can not arrest any one only because some section of the people desire it and then says 31 cases registered against him and 15 of which are serious.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:28pm
if PPP provided him security ... ok, we agree for a moment its true. as per your own statement as above, 12 registered cases of severe nature are in offing and you are Interior Minister what stops you from arresting him ????? PM or CM or your own hidden agenda or you are scared for the backlash ?. in either case you are responsible for letting him spread more venom in an already fragile structure of your govt.... if you cannot arrest him or don have courage to put him behind bars, then I believe we need Scotland Yard to do this honor... what are you waiting for ?
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Feb 16, 2016 08:39pm
By arresting lal masjid maulana, Perez Musharaf is off the hook. It's funny how your own government's ego is coming in a clash with doing what is right.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:44pm
Arrest everyone who is involved in this pathetic act....
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Feb 16, 2016 08:44pm
Let the guy do his job. He is perfectly smooth,and performing his priorities with zeal and diplomacy.You cannot fight at all the fronts at the same time.Just hue and cry and criticizing is easy.
Chaudhry Nisar has full support of the people of Pakistan to tackle complex security situations, as well as to grab the corrupts,while at the same time confronting the terrorists. While last but not the least he is tolerating the false criticism by some corrupt and frustrated opposition politicians.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:50pm
You are all in this together. So, stop lying to people. If Aziz was provided security byt the PPP government then what have you done in the last 2 1/2 years to address all the violations that he has committed?
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Feb 16, 2016 08:54pm
IS member are not special breed. They are former Al-Qaeda member who had re-branded themselves to self-styled ISIS. And look what they had done in Iraq and Syria. I can see the govt is not accepting the presence of ISIS and this might create unending quagmire for the incumbent. It is the re-branding that do the damage. And is the same is happening. I don't know why they are so hesitant in naming this group presence in Pakistan.
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Feb 16, 2016 08:54pm
Oh are we now providing security to the extremist by the state? Wonderful.
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Feb 16, 2016 09:01pm
Ch. Nisar needs to resign. No more excuses needed.
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Feb 16, 2016 09:07pm
For the last three years you have been in government, power. You could easily have undone the security arrangement, if any, offered by PPP. We need someone who can stand against, not with, extremists
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Feb 16, 2016 09:08pm
This blame game between politicians must stop. Politicians are regular people, elected by voters and paid by pakistani tax payers, to serve the people of Pakistan. This mud slinging does not help average pakistani who is suffering from corruption, unemployment, lack of electricity, clean water, lack of education and medical. People of Pakistan are NOT stupid, so political games and empty speeches must stop. Some politicians like to act like kings. Those politicians who cannot 'serve' people of Pakistan must resign and find some other line of profession.
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Feb 16, 2016 09:14pm
Of course the PPP and PML-N will protect this guy, don't forget he is the one who started the downfall of Musharraf the guy who vowed to destroy the extremists and the crooks.
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Feb 16, 2016 09:31pm
He used to say the same thing about TTP.
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Feb 16, 2016 09:36pm
The punjab centric PML-N is afraid of handling the Lal Masjid nuisance. Besides, any action against this group will look hypocritical on the civilian governments' behalf, when they went on maligning Pervaiz Musharraf for doing the right thing and acting to bring justice to this Lal Masjid group.
Sadly, most politicians are opportunists with no principles or ethics.
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Feb 16, 2016 09:40pm
I don't care what someone HAD did. I care what you are doing now. 12 serious cases and he is still roaming free???
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Feb 16, 2016 09:57pm
Good governance by the federal government and efficient coordination with provincial governments is the only solution for terrorism.
Maximum efforts should be made to improve the social, economic and educational conditions of Pakistani masses. Simply passing the buck is no solution.
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Feb 16, 2016 10:04pm
Now I can see and feel that nobody could even reach to Parvwz Musharrf in the level of honesty, farsightedness and so many things. Still he is so strait forward, whatever he has in his heart he speaks openly. He always use to say they are all misguided people if they want to talk, I am ready to talk them but on my (Govt) condition.
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Feb 16, 2016 10:27pm
So Mr Interior Minister since you have acknowledged that there are serious cases against Mullah Aziz, what are you going to do about it? Go to sleep again?
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Feb 16, 2016 10:29pm
time for you and your govt to go home before your govt privatize/sell off 38 organizations like OGDCL, SNGP, LEPCO, PEPCO, PIA, ATTOCK OIL REFINERY, HBL, NBP, ZTB and many more.... yes they are selling these to their off springs at peanut rates....
12 serious cases is nothing compared to your party leader who is PM despite having more than 75 cases in NAB - all related to corruption.
hats off to your wizard ministry who is telling nation that Aziz is having 12 cases and yet roaming free.....
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Feb 16, 2016 10:36pm
This is incredibly stupid and does not reflect well on Pakistan!
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Feb 16, 2016 10:36pm
If the PPP provided security to Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Aziz it was wrong but its not the justification about the non-arrest of the cleric Two wrongs never make one right. Ch Nisar 's claim that if everyone has a proof than he will arrest Abdul Aziz seems an effort to make the people fool, when according to police reports presented in court the cleric was absconder in different cases than why Nisar sb was tight lipped and reluctant to arrest Aziz. My simple question is why officials met Lal Masjid cleric to get his bail in different cases to avoid his arrest? Do this facility is available for all citizens to get protective bail? Is this the way police follow in its routine work to contact the accused or an absconder? As I feel the interior minister is reluctant to take any step against the clerics and seminaries generally and Maulana Aziz especially.
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Feb 16, 2016 10:42pm
No wonder why NAP has failed on civilian part.
If you don't know how to do your job, step down and do what you are good at.
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Feb 16, 2016 10:48pm
Nissar should resign immediately as he is not fit for the post of interior minister.
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Feb 16, 2016 10:55pm
This is a court/police job to arrest him or not. Why is Minister involved in it?
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Feb 16, 2016 11:09pm
Mollycoddling religious extremists for political patronage has been the policy of all governments / political parties, civilian or otherwise.
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Feb 16, 2016 11:30pm
He is no different from his predecessor, Mr Rehman Malik both for In action and flip flops.
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Feb 17, 2016 12:20am
Is this a competition of cowardliness !!
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Feb 17, 2016 12:21am
Forget about ppp its you, who got power to show so don't give rubbish statements just get him behind bars
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Feb 17, 2016 12:58am
Can the government atleast arrest him and drag his case like dr. Asim?
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Feb 17, 2016 01:17am
"Actions speak louder than words"...Despite 32 cases government is unable to take action and afraid.
Proves be it PPP, PML-N,etc..they only care about their party not the country.
We need Quaids Pakistan back!
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Feb 17, 2016 01:51am
Some people are born without spine. Then they run the show pretending to be tough. What a freak show!
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Feb 17, 2016 02:02am
Its a sad state of affairs in our political world,in Pakistan that is,No one seems to have good solutions,but everyone seems to be in the lead when it comes to criticizing.You would think that these politicians would work together for the betterment of our beloved country but instead,they work alone for the betterment of their party,point fingers at one another,acting like they are better,their party is better,what these politicians don't understand is that the records speak for themselves,they are all terrible in fulfilling their promises,they all failed in moving the country forward,failed in resolving energy issues,failed in eliminating corruption,failed in education and jobs sector.So what good are these political parties how come in,add more dept and leave.What future do our children have to look forward to? No two politicians agree on one thing.Heck of a mess,what a way to have double standards.
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Feb 17, 2016 04:43am
Dear Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Sahib,
Your Interior Minister, Ch. Nisar's statements are being progressively ridiculous. Please encourage him to take two months' leave with pay for rest.
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Feb 17, 2016 05:09am
Stop this childish verbatim. Apprehend the maulvi if you can.
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Feb 17, 2016 08:23am
@Kabeer Did you personally see the government officials do so?
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Feb 17, 2016 12:39pm
i admire the most competent minister ch.nisar for his bold stance and clear vision on every national issue...
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