ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik feared that terrorists could strike Karachi and Dera Ismail Khan during Ashura, saying  Islamabad and the two cities would remain on red alert on Monday and Tuesday, DawnNews reported.

A high-level meeting was being held under Malik’s chairmanship on Monday.

He said there was information of the possibility of a terrorist attack in Karachi. Those who targeted the residence of senior police official Chaudhry Aslam could become active again, he added.

Speaking to media representatives in Islamabad, Malik said Mansoor Ijaz, the US businessman who played the central role in the memogate scandal, had tried to destabilise Pakistan by ‘telling lies’.

He suggested that Ijaz should be taken to courts.

Action would be taken against Ijaz and all relevant record for the purpose had been sent to the legal branch of the interior ministry, he added.

He said that orders related to putting Husain Haqqani's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) had been received.

However, Haqqani’s name was not added to the list just yet and paper work was underway, said Malik.

The minister said he would see when the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) would go to courts against the American businessman.