Saturday, June 18, 2011

CIA not operating in Pakistan: Rehman Malik

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said that the United States (US) spy agency, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was not operating on Pakistani soil.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament House in Islamabad, the interior minister said that those foreigners who were staying in Pakistan illegally and those with expired visas were being deported. He said that Pakistan was a sovereign state and the government will not allow people arriving on visit visas to work in the country.
Earlier, it had been reported that between 35 -40 people had been picked up by intelligence agencies across Pakistan for facilitating the CIA for the May 2 US raid that resulted in Osama bin Laden being killed in his Abbottabad compound.
Malik said that the intelligence agencies were serving the country and should not be criticised.
Govt to accept SC verdict on Saleem Shahzad commission
Malik said the government will respect the Supreme Court’s verdict on the investigation commission being formed to probe journalist Saleem Shahzad’s murder.
On the resurfacing of the call record data of Shahzad, Malik said that the data had been available and the stories of it going missing were being created to spread negativity.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) had filed a petition requesting the court to pass an order for setting up a high-powered commission to investigate Saleem Shahzad’s murder to be headed by a high official of integrity who is extended full cooperation.
Security stepped up in Islamabad
Malik said that security in Islamabad has been stepped up and there were more security officials being deployed in civilian clothing. He said the government had removed check posts from across the city earlier, but had brought them back considering the situation and last few incidents in the capital.
He also said that more than 40 security personnel had been killed in Karachi during the last three months.