Mobile service blockade, motorcycle ban proved fruitful in Quetta: Rehman Malik

Interior minister says 75% casualties, 60% crimes went down in Quetta.

ISLAMABAD: Lauding his own initiative of blocking mobile services and banning motorcycle riding in Quetta on Muharram 1, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the efforts proved fruitful as not a single incident of terrorism took place.

“Every day, Hazaras, Shias and Sunnis were being targeted... No incidents took place in Quetta when the mobile services were blocked and motorcycle riding was banned on Muharram 1,” Malik said while speaking to the media in Islamabad on Tuesday.

He added, “75% casualties were lessened and 60% crimes went down. FC was also ordered to take total action and the situation has improved now.” Action was also taken in rural areas of Balochistan which helped averting incidents of terrorism, he said.

Dispelling rumours about the presence of the army in Sui, Malik said that only FC personnel are present in the area who are protecting the Sui pipeline. Outfits such as Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Baloch Republican Army (BRA) have planted mines around Sui making it impossible for people to move around without FC escort, the minister claimed.

Non-custom paid vehicles

The interior minister said that the problem of numerous non-custom paid vehicles in the province is also being tackled with.

“More than 100,000 vehicles were checked, tinted windows of 3,000 vehicles were removed while 900 non-custom paid vehicles were handed over to customs authority,” Malik stated, while adding that 60,000 non-custom paid vehicles have been identified.

He requested people to regularise their vehicles and pay customs otherwise their vehicles will be confiscated. “If you want to avoid raids at your homes or face embarrassment on the roads, pay the customs or your vehicle will be confiscated.”