Karachi violence: ANP senator stands by statements on report

Rehman Malik denies giving report to the Prime Minister.

KARACHI: Awami National Party’s Senator Haji Adeel has reiterated that intelligence agencies, including the Central Investigation Agency (CIA), the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Military Intelligence (MI) and the Intelligence Bureau together, drew up a report on Karachi’s violence - from May 12, 2007 till the year 2009 - and submitted it to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

He said this while talking to Express News host Munizae Jahangir on the telephone on Thursday on her show Pakistan Poochta Hai. She asked him to comment on federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s denial concerning the report. Malik said to the media at the Karachi airport after Wednesay’s show that: “Trust me I submitted no such report to the ANP or to the prime minister. I have a good mind to sue them in court, who ever they are; they can’t just make up imaginary reports and publish articles about them in the newspaper.”

In response to this, the senator told Jahangir that one copy of the report was given to the Senate chairman by ANP senator and central information secretary Zahid Khan. “This report was given to the prime minister,” he repeated.

We asked the government to get the records of the people who arrived at the Karachi airport over the last six months and had returned after a day or two, he added. “My speech in the Senate - where he [Malik] was present - is on record.”

Adeel said, however, that Malik did not admit that people from South Africa and Nigeria come to Karachi to perpetrate target killings. “He admits very little,” added Adeel, on a lighter note.

“But he did assure us that he will check the records and inform us about the findings soon.” The senator said as Malik is the interior minister, the record of people coming to and going from the country must be with him.

“I have not contacted him and he has not contacted me,” he said when Jahangir asked Adeel if any attempts had been made to clear up the ‘misunderstanding’. At the Karachi airport on Thursday, Rehman Malik had spoken to the media about Senator Adeel’s comments on the show.

“I respect him and he can say whatever he wants as he is the interior minister. I have not heard his statement about me, though.” When Jahangir informed him that Malik wished to take him to court, Adeel replied, “He can file a case against me.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2011.