No room for terrorist groups in Pakistan, says Chaudhry Nisar

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that there is no room for the proscribed terrorist outfits in the country, but separate laws should be enacted to deal with outfits proscribed on sectarian lines.

The minister was addressing a press conference at Kallar Syedan, a sub-district of Rawalpindi where he responded to the PPP’s allegation of maintaining friendly relations with the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). He said, “Everyone knows why PPP is against me."

People who have links with terrorist organisations were eradicated, put behind bars or expelled from the country, he said, adding that members of sectarian groups who have no cases against them still reside in the country.

He asked, “Which PPP leader did not have meeting with heads of proscribed organistaions?” adding that it is not unfair to link everything to Maulana Ahmad Ludhi­anvi, chief of the ASWJ.

He said his statement in the Senate is on the record and maintained that there is a difference between the organizations proscribed on sectarian lines and terrorist outfits.

Responding to a question about the extension of military courts, the interior minister said the government and the opposition parties have held a meeting on the matter. He said the aim is to establish a system which ensures speedy trial of the terrorists.

Regarding missing persons, he said that our effort is to recover the missing persons at the earliest. Matters in this regard are moving forward but he cautioned that controversy should not be created on the issue.