No network of terrorism exists in Pakistan: Nisar

ISLAMABAD, Aug 20 (APP): Former interior minister Chaudhry
Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday said Pakistan was among few countries where
graph of terrorism had come down and no network of terrorists
existed in the country.
Addressing a press conference here, he said security situation
improved considerably in the country in four years due to
coordination and efforts of the government, military, civil armed
forces and political parties.
The senior PMLN leader said when the government came in 2013,
five to six explosions occurred daily.
In June 2013, after a meeting with the Prime Minister, an
Internal Security Policy was announced, he said adding when the
decision was taken to initiate a dialogue with Taliban, military and
all political parties were on board and dialogue process continued
for eight months.
The dialogue was discontinued after a terrorist attack on
Karachi airport and military operation was launched, he recalled.
Initially, Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf (PTI), Jamaat e Islami and
Jamiat Ulema Islam were not ready but later on they did not oppose
the military operation launched with consensus among the
stakeholders, he added.
He said National Action Plan was activated after the attack on
Army Public School in Peshawar in 2014 after consultation with all
the parties.
He said despite reservations of some parties, consensus was
developed for an operation in Karachi and law and order improved in
the city.
“Now Karachi is not hostage to madness of one man,” he added.
He said, “now we are at the last stage of operation against
the terrorists and need to continue the fight against terrorism with
steadfastness and patience.”
He said army and civil armed forces gave unprecedented
sacrifices in fight against terrorism, adding despite the fact that
police was ill equipped and lacked training, it also countered
terrorism bravely.
He said his ministry took initiatives to improve matters
related to issuance of visas, weapons of non-prohibited bores and
non governmental organizations.
He said his ministry cancelled thousands of fake identity
cards and 32,000 illegal passports, adding 2000 unauthorized
official passports were also cancelled.
Nisar mentioned that names of 10,000 persons which were on
Exit Control List (ECL) for many years, were removed.
He said about 100 million mobile SIMs, many of which were used
in terrorism and criminal activity, were cancelled despite all the
pressure.
Border security mechanism was made effective in towns of
Chaman and Torkham on the borders of Afghanistan and performance of
civil armed forces was improved with spending of Rs 100 billion.
To a question, Nisar said the government conducted the inquiry
of Dawnleaks and Interior Ministry had no role in it except that it
issued the notification.
About departure of Pervez Musharraf, he said once he stopped
Pervez Musharraf at airport as he was about to take a flight but
later on he was allowed to go abroad on the orders of the courts.
Nisar said he had announced that he would leave the ministry,
regardless of outcome of the court case against Nawaz Sharif.
“If I talked about my reasons for leaving the ministry it
would hurt my party at a time when the party and its leadership were
facing a difficult time.”
He said Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi wanted him to
again take up the portfolio of ministry of interior but he declined.
Nisar said he had difference of opinion with the party but he
always talked about it in the party’s internal meetings and never
leaked any news about what he said.
Those who leaked news about party meetings were dishonest, he
added.
He said during his tenure as minister, he saw good civil
military relations and never felt any problem in sharing of
information and intelligence between departments.