Malik to share classified information

Interior Minister asks chairman of Senate to arrange in-camera briefing to disclose classified information.

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik once again asked the chairman of the Senate on Wednesday to arrange an in-camera briefing for senators, to disclose some classified information on the law and order situation in the country.

Malik has always refrained from giving substantial information whenever the issue was debated in the parliament. He had been insisting that he has some credible information, which he could only share in a closed door meeting.

Responding to the reservations of the legislators, who have expressed their concerns over the situation in Karachi, the minister admitted that the city has serious issues but said they have not emerged all of a sudden. The minister said the situation in Karachi has aggravated due to several factors and mass migration is one of the major reasons.

Malik said that every killing in Karachi cannot be termed as a target killing as there were several gangs operating in the city.

In response to Professor Khursheed Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami and other members’ statements that the worsening law and situation of the country was because of the “War on Terror”, Malik shifted the burden on the previous regime.

“Suicide bombing is not allowed in our religion but tell me one thing: where do these suicide bombers come from?” the minister asked, adding that they all belong to this country and not a single suicide bomber has come from abroad. However, the army has dismantled their networks, he added.

Rehman Malik also confessed that at present the police force is not capable of controlling the situation owing to a shortage of manpower and lack of training.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2010.