'Eid Mubarak, my dear Dr Zulfiqar Mirza'

Malik wished former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza "Eid Mubarak" and said that he would show more patience.

KARACHI: Interior Minister Rehman Malik wished former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza "Eid Mubarak" on Wednesday, the first day of Eidul Fitr.

He said that “being the elder brother” he (Malik) would show more patience.

“I say: happy Eid Mubarak, my dear Dr Zulfiqar Mirza,” Malik said in high spirits, talking to the media at Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah's mausoleum in Karachi. Mirza, however, was not present on the occasion.

He added that it saddened him to see Mirza cry at the press conference in Hyderabad yesterday (Tuesday).

He also said that he believes Mirza is a “good person, but should not be so easily angered”.

Earlier this week, Mirza lashed out against the interior minister – calling him a ‘congenital liar’ and ‘the single biggest threat to Pakistan’s future’.

Malik added that the youth of Pakistan is “the asset of the nation” and that the young generation’s services will be utilised for community policing across the country.

“We have had good experience of youth policing in Islamabad and it is our endeavour to further avail their services in all major cities in collaboration with the local area police,” he said while talking to the media after Eid prayers.

The minister said that the country was facing multi-pronged challenges and added that the government was determined to curb lawlessness and tackle the issue of terrorism.

“The government will soon bring all the arrested terrorists before the public,” he added.

Malik said that the ban on pillion riding was lifted to provide relief to the masses on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. He said that the action against terrorists and extortionists will continue.

Referring to attacks in Quetta and elsewhere in Balochistan, Malik said that a handful activists of Lashkar-e-Jangvi and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were allegedly involved in terror activities.