ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday said terrorists still had time to lay down their arms, or else they would be crushed with force.“I am asking the terrorists to lay down their arms, as they don’t deserve amnesty because they have broken the hearts of several mothers. But they still have a chance,” the minister said while talking to reporters outside the Parliament House.He said the Punjab government had been informed about the possible terrorist activities in the southern part of the province.The government, he said, was striving hard to improve the law and order situation and the writ of the government would be established at all costs.Replying to a question, he said Pakistan needed funds for capacity building of the law enforcers. The law-enforcement agencies would get scanners to detect explosive material and manual checking would soon come to an end, he added.“We have achieved enormous success in Swat and other war zones due to the intelligence agencies. We must be proud of our intelligence agencies and the Pakistan Army,” he said, adding: “We have arrested two suicide bombers during the last three days one of whom wanted to blow up the Parliament House and the other to hit the headquarters of an intelligence agency.”He said Pakistan was committed to bring the Mumbai attacks culprits to justice but India should provide more information in this regard. “We have requested India to provide more information so that we could complete our investigation.” He said, “Defeat is not an option for us and not for the world in the war against terrorism. The investigation into the murder of Qari Zainuddin is under way. The IDPs would also get every facility upon their return to their respective areas. Some of the families have returned to Swat and Buner,” he said. Our correspondent adds: Meanwhile, addressing the National Assembly Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that 1,592 terrorists had been killed so far in the military operation. He said 138 law enforcers had been martyred so far and 414 injured. Thanking the opposition members for reposing confidence in the security agencies by withdrawing their cut motions against the Interior Ministry, he said that it had established a good precedence.Referring to the operation in Malakand and Swat, the minister said the areas had been secured and after reviving the infrastructure, the return of IDPs would start very soon. He said that both the president and the prime minister had made the world realise that the nation was united in the war against terror. “Due to the efforts of the president and the prime minister, the Chinese government has provided $290 million for capacity building of our security forces.”Referring to the Dera Ismail Khan incidents, the interior minister said most of these incidents were sectarian in nature. He, however, said that the entire administration of D I Khan would be changed and that he would personally visit the area next week. Earlier, in a rare gesture of unity on security issues, the opposition in the National Assembly withdrew 96 cut motions on the demands for grants for the Interior Ministry.Chief whip of the PML-N Sheikh Aftab told the Lower House that the opposition had decided to withdraw the cut motions in view of the government’s assurance that it was according top priority to law and order in the country.Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani acknowledged the gesture and expressed his gratitude to the opposition. On Wednesday, the House also completed the second phase of the passage of the budget by giving approval to the demands for grants for the next fiscal and now the Finance Bill would be taken up for final approval today (Thursday).After the passage of the Finance Bill on Thursday, the House would take up the supplementary budget of the current fiscal on Friday and with its approval the budget session would come to an end.In two days, the National Assembly approved demands for grants of the federal ministries amounting to Rs 1.556 trillion. On Wednesday, it approved grants worth Rs 102.21 billion for the ministries of foreign affairs, industries and production, petroleum and natural resources, ports and shipping, interior, and water and power.The House also offered Fateha for those who lost their lives in the military operation. Earlier, during the debate, the opposition members criticised the performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and said that the Foreign Office had failed to give a clear roadmap for improving Pakistan’s relations with the neighbouring countries. They said India was a threat to Pakistan and was involved in promoting insurgency in Balochistan and the tribal areas. They alleged the proposed Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement was against the national interests.Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Ammad Khan said the Foreign Office had been successful in promoting a soft image of Pakistan as a modern, democratic Islamic state. He said that new Afghan transit trade agreement had not yet been finalised and the government would take input from the political leadership before signing it by the end of this year. Earlier in the day, the minority members staged a token walkout in protest against the fact that they were not provided representation in the constitutional committee.
source: http://www.thenews.com.pk
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