Govt finalises draft of national security policy: Nisar
16 December, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday announced that the draft of the National Security Policy has been finalised and would be made public soon after the federal cabinet's approval.
Addressing a news conference at the Punjab House, Nisar said the draft will first be presented in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on National Security which is to be held today (Monday). Then it will be presented in the federal cabinet for approval. Elaborating, Nisar pointed out that the policy will have three parts; one is secret, which will not be revealed. The second is strategic, giving a roadmap as to how we will go ahead and the third part is operational.
The interior minister said the first option to eliminate terrorism in the country is dialogue and peace. "This decision has been taken," he added. "If dialogue is not successful, then the other options will be adopted." He said there will be a timeframe for measures to be taken under the policy. He said in this connection a national network will be put in place in one year. Referring to the government's initiative of dialogue with Taliban, he said there will be much progress in this regard if there were no drone attacks.
The interior minister said the election process is being made doubtful by some parties and allegations are being levelled against the government. He said decisions on complaints against elections are the jurisdiction of election tribunal and courts. Nisar said it has been decided with the approval of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the administrative control with reference to verification of thumb impressions relating to elections will be transferred to the election commission for three months to ensure transparency.
He said an office order will be issued tomorrow (Monday) after a meeting with election commission secretary under which NADRA, which is working under the Interior Ministry, will transfer control of election matters to the election commission for three months. About the controversy over NADRA chairman's sacking, he said Tariq Malik's termination was according to law and he was restored following the court orders. "Two political parties are blowing the issue out of proportion," he pointed out.
Nisar said that termination of NADRA chairman's contract had nothing to do with verification of votes through thumb impressions. The minister accused Tariq Malik of forming groups in his department and said that he had also gone on a foreign visit without permission. Nisar said that he would not comment about Malik until the court issues the verdict in his case. He said that magnetic ink was not used in the polling, adding that the FIA would take action if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) pointed out irregularities.
The interior minister said that he was ready to get a case registered over irregularities in Karachi during election if the electoral body intended to guide him on the matter. "I am assigning the task of verification of thumb impressions to the ECP for the next three months," he added.
Nisar said that his ministry has cancelled two thousand official passports. About the working of his ministry, Nisar said that it can be gauged from the fact the ministry has taken action even against those officials of the FIA, which is a subordinate department of Interior Ministry, who have been involved in human trafficking. The minister also said that the PML-N government had not taken the credit for improvement in the law and order situation of Karachi.
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