KARAK, April 25: Provincial Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that suicide bombers are being sold like a commodity and it has become a profitable business. “A suicide bomber can be bought for Rs2 million,” he said and asked people to keep an eye on their children of seven to 13 years as the enemies of humanity wanted to use them for destruction of country.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Karak Press Club here on Monday, the minister said that durable peace could not be restored in the province till those factories of suicide bombers were present there.

However, he claimed that earlier people used to help militants but now they hated them, which was a political success of their government. He said that journalists should play their role to guide society in right direction and discourage extremism.

The minister also administered oath to the newly elected office-bearers of the press club. He said that the press club was constructed at a cost of Rs4.5 million.

He donated Rs500,000 to the press club for buying furniture and other items. “The government wants to promote media as it has built press clubs in five districts of the province,” he added.

Mr Hussain said that provincial government condemned drone attacks and foreign aggression.

He said that drone strikes would not eliminate terrorism rather it would be further fueled with such attacks. “Pakistan, the USA and Afghanistan can jointly defeat terrorism but there is lack of trust among them,” he said.

He said that people of those three countries should build up pressure on their respective governments to evolve a joint strategy against terrorism through intelligence sharing.

The minister said that they would not bow before terrorists, who were destroying mosques, seminaries and schools and killing innocent people.

He lauded the role of army in Malakand and also appreciated police and masses for fighting against terrorism.

He said that 4,500 alleged terrorists were arrested by police and army but 99 per cent of them were released by courts owing to lack of proofs. “Suicide jacket itself is a major proof,” he added.

Mr Hussain said that local people had right over their resources. “A jirga comprising elected representatives of southern districts will meet prime minister soon because chief minister has moved an application to him for the purpose. The issue of provision of gas to villages in the radius of five kilometres of gas fields would be resolved,” he added.

He said that local people would be recruited in the oil and gas companies, working in the district, and technical institutions would be opened to impart them training.

He said that southern districts and South and North Waziristan agencies were full of oil and gas resources but due to bad law and order situation the same could not be explored.

MPA Mian Nisar Gul and former district nazim Sharif Khattak also addressed the ceremony.