No military operation planned in Punjab: Malik 

 
05-06-2010

 
Interior Minister A. Rehman Malik Wednesday said that no military operation is planned  against banned outfits in Punjab, rather effective action would jointly be taken to eliminate them. Talking to media persons here, he lauded the efforts of Punjab government in the province and said that banned outfits including Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipa-e-Sihaba were active in Punjab. He said that effective action would be taken against the banned outfits on the bases of intelligence reports, but there would be no military action in Punjab, he added.

He said the banned outfits Lashkar-e-Jehngvi, Sipa-e-Sihaba and others in Punjab had themselves used the name of Punjabi Taliban. They are terrorists and undertaking terrorists activities in Punjab.
 
He said the government had conducted successful operations against Taliban in FATA and South Waziristan and the terrorist organizations in other parts of the country would also be eliminated.

To a question regarding Faisal Shezad, he said that the government has arrested a number of people belonging to nobel and educated families for their relations with the accused.

“We have to change out mentality for elimination of terrorism and extremism.”

He said some religious leaders were against the operation, however, the matter would be resolved in consultation with Wafaq-ul-Madaris, so that action could be taken against the banned outfits.

To a question regarding Talat Hussain, he said he has contacted with Secretary General Interpol for their safety and repatriation, “hopefully he would return Islamabad on Thursday,” he added.