‘Security forces alerted’ as talks with militants hit dead end

35pc spike in terrorism witnessed in last three months, says Sh Rashid

ISLAMABAD   -  Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Saturday said that the federal government alerted all Armed Forces and Law Enforcements Agencies to exercise extreme vigilance to deal with any untoward situation following a recent spike in terrorist incidents in the country.

“Last night, the Ministry of Interior (through a letter) had told all Armed Forces, civil Armed Forces, IGs (Inspectors General of Police), Chief Secretaries, IG Frontier Corps and IG Rangers to stay alert and be watchful,” the minister said while addressing a press conference here at the Ministry of Interior.

The minister said a 30 to35 percent spike in terrorism had been witnessed over the last three months. He added that some forces who were opposing the CPEC were behind the sharp increase of terrorism in the country. At the same time, Sheikh Rashid told reporters that talks with outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have broken down. He said the Taliban were holding talks with the TTP and admired the former for playing the role of a bridge.

“We were told they had set some stern conditions and made demands which were not acceptable,” he said. He added that the government’s doors for talks were still open with the Pakistani Taliban or TTP if the proscribed group accepts Pakistan’s law and Constitution. He said that they would fight back if the TTP would resort to violence.

Sheikh Rashid said that TTP had itself violated the ceasefire. “We did not contact them after that,” he said.

The minister went on to say that now environment in Afghanistan was not hostile towards Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban has assured that their soil won’t be used against Pakistan. 

He said some splinter groups were trying to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan following the defeat of NDS and RAW and forty-two international forces in Afghanistan. The minister said that Armed Forces and people of Pakistan have had high morale to fight terror now.

He also said that the Baloch Nationalist Army had claimed the responsibility for the Anarkali market blast. Replying a question about the progress in the investigation of Lahore blast, he said the authorities had a got a lead and were after a suspect but avoided to share more details. This is because that Indian TV channels will start tirade against him as “they are only able to see either Prime Minister Imran Khan or Sheikh Rashid,” he said.

Answering a question, he said that no proposal about introducing presidential system or imposing emergency had so far been discussed in the cabinet. He said that PM Imran Khan’s government would complete its five-year tenure. He said that neither the incumbent government was going anywhere nor the opposition was capable of coming into power.

About a possible no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said the opposition was short of 12 lawmakers when mini budget was passed and challenged that they would fall short of at least 25 votes in case of no-confidence move.

He asked the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an opposition alliance, to change its date for a long march towards Islamabad saying roads will be closed due to the presence of VVIP dignitaries in the federal capital. “OIC leaders are coming to attend the March 23 parade. From March 21, roads will be closed,” he said and requested the alliance to move its march four days back or ahead.