Countering terror: China’s policy unchanged, says Iqbal

KARACHI: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday that China had not changed its policy towards Pakistan but had endorsed its viewpoint at a summit of five major emerging market nations where concern was expressed about militant groups allegedly based in the country.

“We are also against militants and want to first put our house in order,” he said while talking to reporters after visiting the Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum.

He said the declaration of the recent summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was similar to that of the last Heart of Asia Conference about Afghanistan and it should not be taken out of context.



He held the Western countries equally responsible for the wave of terrorism in the world and said that apparently they had ignored the genuine problems of Muslim states.

Replying to a question, Iqbal said: “We have implemented the National Action Plan and that is why we have contained terrorism.”

Paying tribute to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on his death anniversary, the minister said the country had seen many ups and downs in the last 70 years and it was high time to learn from past mistakes and follow his vision.

“The Quaid told us that democracy and the rule of law are the solution to every problem,” he said.



In reply to another question, Iqbal said: “The incumbent government will complete its tenure and elections will be held on time.”

The interior minister said the country’s economy was in a bad state when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government took over in 2013.

“Now the socio-economic indicators are going up and our art, culture and tourism are setting new precedents of success. We have to make Pakistan an Asian Tiger, bringing it among the 25 top economic powers in the world,” he said.

He cautioned that some elements always sought to derail the country from its economic agenda.



“We will celebrate September 21 as the International Day of Peace because we have to compete in Nobel prizes rather than terrorism,” he remarked.

Iqbal said no past government had promoted the engineering sector, and energy crises had affected industrial growth in the country. “There was no electricity to run the factories... how could we compete with other countries,” he said, adding that the government was attaching utmost importance to generating more power. “By next year, the energy crisis will be resolved,” he said.

The minister also said that the federal government was trying to strengthen the Higher Education Commission, while Sindh had established its own HEC.



He praised the law-enforcement agencies, especially Rangers and police, for dealing with terrorism in Karachi. “The ongoing operation in Karachi will continue till its logical end.”

Apparently irked by a question about the ousted prime minister, Iqbal said: “Nawaz Sharif has gone to London to see his ailing wife. I don’t have any idea about his meeting with MQM-London [leaders].”

He said, “A leader of a political party has never been happy with any achievement and success of Pakistan, but always criticises it, which is condemnable.”

Regarding the World XI T20 cricket series, he said it was not the federal government but a security panel of the International Cricket Council that had selected Lahore as the venue.

“The day will come when international players will also come to Karachi to play tournaments,” he concluded.

Later, Iqbal called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali and Governor Muhammad Zubair and discussed legal, political and governance issues with them.