Islamabad :
Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, while expressing ignorance about the talks between the government of Pakistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said that the Interior Ministry has no role in the matter related to the talks.
Responding to a question during a press conference in Islamabad, he said that talks with the TTP had not even started and the Interior Ministry had no role in it.
“If the Afghan Taliban are holding any talks, it is not in my notice and it is too early to say anything about it,” he said.
He further said that it has nothing to do with the Interior Ministry, Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided that those who will lay down their arms and believe in the constitution and law of Pakistan, it can be negotiated, but those who are terrorists Yes, I can’t talk to them.
It may be recalled that President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and even Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid have made statements regarding talks with some TTP groups and amnesty on which they including the PPP. It is facing criticism from various political and journalistic circles.
President Dr. Arif Alvi had said in an interview in a Dawn News program that members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) who are not involved in crime and want to leave the TTP’s ideology and walk with the constitution of Pakistan The government may consider a general amnesty.
Similarly, Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an interview with Turkish media, referred to talks with some banned TTP groups and a general amnesty, which was sharply criticized by politicians and journalists.
On Imran Khan’s statement, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and Senator Sherry Rehman had criticized the government, saying that the Prime Minister had again spoken of pardoning the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Parliament asked what do we think about it? Have they taken the TTP’s response to this?
On the other hand, referring to the TPP, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that the government would be “ready” to pardon TTP members if they promised not to be involved in terrorist activities and Recognize the Constitution of Pakistan.
Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid himself had said two days ago that if the TTP members surrender, they can be talked to.
Sheikh Rashid said that “high level talks are being held with some groups of TTP, we will not allow our territory to be used against anyone”.
He further said that innumerable complaints were received regarding fake identity cards after which 136 officers have been suspended in the case of fake identity cards.
The Federal Ministry of Interior said that inquiries were underway against 90 officers of NADRA while charge sheets had been issued to about 300 officers.
In response to a question about Pandora Papers, Sheikh Rashid said that Pandora Papers dug a mountain and turned out to be a rat.
Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Federal Minister said that he had announced an inquiry against all the personalities involved in the Pandora Papers.
He also said that a new air patrolling unit would be inaugurated soon in the Eagle Mobile Squad project to be launched on 130 motorcycles by removing roadblocks in Islamabad.
The federal interior minister said the air patrol unit would include 12 drones and would inaugurate the project this week.
He lamented that locators have not been available with Islamabad Police for 70 years but two locators are being provided to the police department and one thousand personnel will be recruited in the department.
Regarding the issuance of passports, Sheikh Rashid said that extraordinary steps were being taken to improve the services in the passport department and now passports could be obtained within 24 hours.
He said that in order to get a passport in one day, the user has to pay a fee of Rs 10,000 while the normal fee is Rs 5,000 under which a passport can be obtained in eight days. Sheikh Rashid said that The cabinet has sent a summary of the 90-day reduction in the sentence.
Talking about Afghanistan, he said that arrangements have been made for issuance of online visas in Afghanistan. The Federal Minister said that online visas will be issued to Afghan citizens within 3 weeks, from August 15 to date. 20,000 Afghan citizens entered Pakistan and 6,000 people left Pakistan for Afghanistan.
He said that a large number of 10,000 people have gone to other countries while IBMS has started with 16 terminals at Chaman border.
Sheikh Rashid said that NADRA vehicles are available in Torkham and Chaman to remove the difficulties of inspection. I will extend a few days.
