Contradictory reports: No arrests in Imran Farooq murder case, says Malik

Interior minister also says report will be submitted on Jhelum operation.

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that contrary to media reports, no arrests have been made in connection with former Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Imran Farooq’s murder case. He added that no letter was written to the interior ministry. The London police, he said, had written a letter on the other hand to the foreign ministry asking for information.

Talking to reporters on Sunday he said that politicians should avoid propaganda against security agencies and stop trying to malign them through political manoeuvres.

Malik also said that the Punjab interior secretary will be asked to submit a report on the failed crackdown on militants in Jhelum on Friday.

‘Wait till elections’

The interior minister also said that the elections will “prove who is popular and how much”.

He said that Pakistan needs unity at this juncture, and everyone should do what they can in this regard. However, he emphasised that a ‘tit for tat’ attitude would be adopted and anyone ‘calling names’ in politics would receive a similar response.

Public gatherings are considered healthy activities in politics, but arguments should be democratic in nature, as opposed to merely levelling charges, the interior minister said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th,  2011.