Rehman Malik reinstated as advisor to PM on interior affairs

Malik given charge of interior ministry, allowed entry into National Assembly and Senate.

ISLAMABAD: A day after the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend Rehman Malik’s senate membership, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani issued directives to the cabinet division to reinstate him as advisor to the prime minister on interior affairs, Express News reported.

The cabinet division, as per the prime minister’s directives, issued the notification for the reinstatement of the former interior minister as advisor, stating that he held the same post in 2008 prior to becoming a member of the Senate.

Being made the advisor, he has been given charge of the interior ministry and will now be allowed entry into the National Assembly (NA) and the Senate.

A senior official of the prime minister secretariat officially confirmed the notification.

Malik will hold this post until the verdict of the Supreme Court.

Earlier, Express News reported that Malik had stopped visiting the Interior Ministry since the Supreme Court suspended his Senate membership and sources said that he had also removed the national flag from his car, and would not be attending the future Senate sessions.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had earlier suspended the Senate membership of Interior Minister Rehman Malik while hearing the dual nationality case.