Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. PHOTO: FILE
The government conceded that the earlier assessment about Sikandar Hayat – the gun-toting man who brought the capital to a halt – of being a ‘lone wolf’ was wrong.
Addressing the National Assembly session on Monday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said, “He was not alone and the matter is not that simple.”
He said that international officials, intelligence agencies and some elements from Abu Dhabi were behind the Islamabad standoff. The minister emphatically stated that he did not mean that the Abu Dhabi government was linked to the incident.
“The matter has international implications. Names of some big mobsters, high officials and influential personalities have emerged during the investigation,” Chaudhry Nisar said.
He also informed the house that several people had been identified through Sikandar’s mobile phone records and five suspects had been arrested.
“The gunman could have been killed then and there, but then we would not have the information which we are getting today (through interrogation),” he added.
Chaudhry Nisar said that when he had inquired about the security lapses during the incident, the agencies had given him a ridiculous excuse.
“I will apprise the house about the new national security policy,” the minister affirmed. Nisar floated the idea of setting up a National Security Committee of the Parliament with representation of all political parties.
He assured to hold an in-camera briefing for parliamentary leaders over the contours of the national security policy.
Karachi law and order
While talking about the law and order situation of Karachi, the interior minister said that he had “given a blank cheque” to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and assured his full support to the provincial government in addressing the law and order situation in the metropolis.
He clarified that the paramilitary Rangers were under the command of the Centre but once they are given to the provinces, they are controlled by the provincial government.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2013.
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