Rehman Malik asks Taliban to surrender arms, work for future of children
MIRPUR (AJK): Nov 19 (APP): Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday advised Taliban to furnish the children with pen and book, instead of preparing them for suicide attacks. He asked them to surrender by disarming themselves and refrain from playing into the hands of the enemy. He said the governmnet took different steps to check tendencies of extremism and terrorism in the country. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the passport office in Islamgarh town of Mirpur district, he said” We want the youth of Pakistan to carry book and pen instead of the suicide jackets”. AJK Prime Minister Ch. Abdul Majeed and others also addressed the ceremony.
The Interior Minister said suicide incidents had reduced considerably and law and order had improved to a great extent.
 The Minister said that following the reconciliation of policy of President Asif Ali Zardari, the country succeded in achieving speedy progress, stability and prosperity.
Rehman Malik recalled that the country was on the verge of destruction when the PPP came into power. The law and order situation was worsening and the economy was in bad shape, he added.
He said the PPP government focused on improving the law and order situation. After relentless efforts of the law enforcing agencies, the terrorism was brought under control, he added.
The Minister said efforts are being made to eliminate extremism and terrorism not only from the country but in the region as well.
 He reiterated the present government’s resolve to take all political parties along while dealing major national issues in the national interest.
He advised the PML-(N) not to be anguished with the federal government as it were people who had confined it to a province.
 He said that those talking of staging ‘long-march or short march’ will be able to evaluate their position in the coming March.
 Rehman Malik said that the nation and the country could become prosperous when unity and harmony was ensured in the society.
He said under the dynamic leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari, the PPP-led government was fighting war for the defense and security of the country.
The Interior Minister said the government was determined to steering the country out of the energy crisis.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir on behalf of the people and the Government of Pakistan, Rehman Malik said that Pakistan would continue to extend moral political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris struggle for the right to self-determination.
 He said PPP has unequivocal commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that it could be assessed by the fact that Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani reiterated Pakistan’s just and principled stance on Kashmir before his Indian counterpart Manmohen Singh and the media during his recent visit to Maldives at the sideline of the SAARC summit.
 Earlier the Minister inaugurated the passport office at Islamgarh, the constituency of AJK prime Minister Ch. Abdul Majeed.
The office will benefit thousands of UK-based Kashmiri expatriates hailing from Islamhgarh and rest of the adjoining areas.