Pak faces 'very serious internal threat" to integrity:Minister

Islamabad, Oct 14 (PTI) Pakistan is facing a "very serious
internal threat" to its integrity as a grouping of al-Qaeda,
Taliban and local 'jehadi' elements wanted to take over the
country, Information Minister Sherry Rehman warned Tuesday.

She also said the Taliban and 'jehadi' and militant groups
in Pakistan had links with the Afghan Taliban and groups in
Jammu and Kashmir, sources were quoted as saying by the media.

Rehman made these remarks during a special joint session
of Parliament, which was again adjourned Tuesday as opposition
lawmakers wanted answers to posers raised by them on the
causes of sudden upsurge in militant strikes in Pakistan.

The session was deferred Monday as well following the
untimely death of National Assembly member from Jackobabad
Nasrullah Khan Bijarani, who died of a cardiac arrest.

After her briefing, the Information Minister did not reply
to the questions posed by the opposition, with Speaker Fehmida
Mirza ruling that the in-camera session was only meant for the
briefing and a debate and questions were not on the agenda.
The Speaker adjourned the session till Wednesday, when a
debate on the government's anti-terror policy is likely to be
held.

Rehman told parliamentarians that there was a "very
serious internal threat" to Pakistan's integrity as a grouping
of al-Qaeda, Taliban and local 'jehadi' elements wanted to
take over the country, sources were quoted by T.V. channels as
saying by T.V .channels.

She briefed the lawmakers on the three-pronged strategy
adopted by the government to counter militancy and terrorism,
especially in Pakistan's tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

This strategy envisages a dialogue with militants who
give up arms, the economic development of the tribal areas and
use of force only as a last resort, she told the session
convened to forge a consensus anti-terror policy.

Rehman also reportedly briefed lawmakers on the
background of the problem of militancy in Pakistan, which she
said was brewing for some time and was linked to state
policies of the past 30 years.

She said the war against terrorism is being fought for
the larger interest of Pakistan.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) lawmakers, however, said
they were not satisfied with Rehman's briefing and insisted
that they should be allowed to ask questions.

The special session of parliament, convened by President
Asif Ali Zardari, began last week with a briefing and a
question-and-answer session with I.S.I. chief Lt Gen Ahmad
Shuja Pasha.

But, opposition parties like the P.M.L.-N. said the
briefing focussed only on military tactics and that the
government had not clearly spelt out its policy for fighting
terror.

Senior P.M.L.-N. leader Ahsan Iqbal said: "It's a
political battle. It's not a battle of guns and helicopter
gunships, it's a battle of ideas. And it has to be fought
politically, through education and economic development."

Iqbal also suggested that militants should be included in
the dialogue process as western powers and the government in
Kabul were considering such a step in Afghanistan.

He said his party will submit a proposal in the special
session of Parliament to halt ongoing military operations
against militants and to include "hardliners" and radicals in
the political process. PTI RHL
RKM
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