Malik rejects reports of military operation

Saturday, August 18, 2012 - Islamabad—Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday said that no military operation would be launched anywhere in the country at someone’s behest.

Speaking to media persons in Islamabad, Malik said the people of Pakistan would decide about the operation, which would be conducted by the army. His remarks come a few hours after Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani categorically dispelled impression created by the US media about Pakistan Army’s readiness to launch joint operation with the US in the North Waziristan Agency.

The interior minister said that innocent people were killed in Babusar by Taliban militants. He said all terrorist groups are in touch with each other and Taliban have provided safe sanctuaries to the criminals in tribal areas.

He said Taliban are involved in terrorist attack throughout the country.

Rehman Malik said Gilgit-Baltistan incident is not sectarian but an act of terrorism. He said a compensation package will be announced for the families of Babusar Top incident.— NNI