Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced lifting of curfew and restoration of mobile service in Gilgit from Saturday night.

Talking to newsmen here today with Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah after a meeting which reviewed the law and order situation in Gilgit‚ Malik said several persons were arrested following acts of violence in Gilgit. He assured that those found innocent would be released soon.

Minister said Police force strength in Gilgit would be increased to 10,000 from the present 5,000. Frontier Corps and Rangers personnel have also been directed to assist Gilgit Baltistan government in the maintenance of law and order, he added. FIA office will also be set up in Gilgit as part of efforts to improve the situation.

Malik said that religious scholars were also being taken on board in order to promote religious harmony in Gilgit and other areas.

Geo News Reported

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that situation in Gilgit Baltistan is under control and curfew there will soon be lifted.

He said mobile services will also be restored in the area. He said a targeted operation may be conducted to arrest those involved in the Challas incident.

The Interior Minister that consultation will be held with the religious scholars to chalk out a strategy to avoid any future unrest   in Gilgit -Baltistan. He said on the directions of the President, he will soon visit the area.

Published in Sananews

Saturday that the security agencies have tracked down the culprits involved in Kohistan incident and five of them have been arrested. He also claimed that ‘foreign hand’ was involvement in the heinous crime. After meeting with different delegations in Gilgit, Rehman Malik told reporters that Aman Jirga along with the security forces would be reinstated to restore peace in Gilgit areas.

The minister claimed progress in investigation into the incident, asserting that the team had indicated culprits behind the slaughter. Two weeks ago, at least 18 people were gunned down by unknown assailants in Kohistan after being disembarked from vehicles travelling from Gilgit-Baltistan to Rawalpindi. Authorities termed it a targeted killing on sectarian grounds.

“The joint investigation team has accomplished its inquiry to unmask the offenders, and we have tracked them down,” the interior minister disclosed. “Other than few locals, some foreign hands were also found involved in the attack,” Malik asserted, adding that names of the suspects would be handed over to local jirga for their arrest. He said the number of PIA flights from Gilgit to Islamabad have also been increased, adding that large scale operation would be launched in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan to maintain law and order in the region. Malik said that no one would be allowed to play with the law and order of the region and he was in constant touch with Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister as part of government efforts to bring peace.

The minister said that operation would be launched by Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts against anti-state elements, adding that more locals would be appointed in the police department. Rehman Malik said Rs2 million each will be given to the families of Kohistan tragedy while one month bonus salary will be given to the security officials.

He said special steps would be taken to make the journey safe on Karakoram Highway. Meanwhile, reports said SP Diamer has been suspended over his non-cooperation with the investigation team formulated to probe into Kohistan incident.
Published in pakobserver

Gilgit violence failure of govt: Imran Khan

Chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Imran Khan said on Wednesday that fresh wave of violence in Gilgit and Chilas, which claimed 10 lives depicts failure of government.
The PTI Chairman at a statement strongly condemned all acts of sectarian violence and said that if PTI would come to power it will work to unite sects of all religions to promote peace and harmony in the country.
“The tragic incident speaks volumes of bad governance and failure of the government to bring the law and order situation under control. Since this government came into power there has been a considerable escalation in the frequency and intensity of incidents of sectarian violence”, he added.
He said that it is the matter of great concern for PTI to observe that Gilgit region, which was once a peaceful area has continually witnessed sectarian violence under the current government.
The failure Chairman expressed solidarity with the people of the area and has urged the government to take concrete steps in order to improve the law and order situation of the region on war footing basis.
He said that his party is the only hope for peace in this country. He requested the families of victims to stay calm in these circumstances.
He also expressed deep sorrow for the bereaved families and offered condolences and prayers for the eternal peace of the deceased and for the early recovery of the injured.
Published in onlinenews

Interior minister Rehman Malik, who flew to Gilgit early Saturday, announced that five of the accused involved in the Kohistan carnage have been arrested.

It was his second visit to Gilgit this month which came after the Shia community resumed protests and demonstrations late Friday against the “non-serious attitude” of the government in accepting their demands including the arrest of culprits, compensation to their heirs of Kohistan carnage and creating of special highway forces for Karakoram Highway.

Earlier, the clerics had given a deadline to the government asking them to fulfill the demands by March 8 or else they would launch protests across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

“The perpetrators have been traced through a cell phone call and five of them have been arrested,” Malik told reporters soon after holding separate meetings with delegations representing Sunni and Shia communities at the chief minister secretariat.

He nevertheless refused to divulge further details on it, saying that the issue was sensitive.

Flanked by Chief Minister Mehdi Shah, Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah and the representatives of Shia community, Malik said that the involvement of foreign hands could not be ruled out in the bus incident that left 16 residents of G-B dead in Kohistan last month.

“If the involvement of foreign hands is established, our ties with the neighbouring countries could be affected,” he said.

Malik said that a compensation worth Rs1 million for the families of Kohistan tragedy have been handed over to the local government, while the G-B government would also add the same amount, making it to Rs2 million for each aggrieved family.

Accepting another demand, he also announced government jobs for one of the relatives of the victim families.

About the security measures, he said that more police check posts would be set up but said that the local government would decide the location for that.

About the issue of separate syllabus, he said that the recommendations prepared during 2008-2009 would be implemented and that the chief secretary had been issued orders for that.

He said that the number of flights for Gilgit have been increased as per the demands of the local people.

Malik announced a delegation of special police powers to Rangers, bringing their powers at par with police and G-B scouts, for better handling of the situation but said that no major operation was in the offing in G-B.

Peace Jirga along with the security forces will be restored for peace in Gilgit, he said, adding that Superintendent Police of Diamer and Kohistan valley have been posted out on the demand of the local people.

Malik assured the G-B people that non-locals would not be able to purchase land in Gilgit-Baltistan without first obtaining a no-objection certificate [NoC] from the interior ministry.

Agha Rahat Hussain, the top Shia cleric in G-B, said that they expected Malik to revisit Gilgit after 15 days to share the progress about arrest of killers and other commitments made with them.

Malik on release of missing persons

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has also ordered the interior secretary to contact the Afghan government, Guantanamo Bay authorities and Interpol to locate missing persons, reported Express News.

The orders were given out during Malik’s meeting with Defence of Human Rights head Amina Masood Janjua.

During the meeting, Malik gave his assurance for the release of 293 missing persons, Interpol will be contacted while Guantanamo Bay will also be checked with the help of Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman.

A list of the missing persons will also be sent to the Afghan interior ministry so that the jails in Afghanistan can be checked, said Malik.

Published in Expresstribune

Published in Dawn New

Talking to newsmen here after attending a meeting on law and order situation, Malik claimed that those involved in the incident have been identified, adding that the culprits will be brought to justice at all costs.

“The list of identified persons will be handed over to local Jirgas who will hand over the culprits to the security forces,” he said.

Malik said nobody will be allowed to play with the law and order situation of Gilgit-Baltistan.

He said the number of check posts will be increased in the area to maintain peace.

The minister rejected attribution of the Kohistan incident to sectarianism.

He also announced compensation of two million rupees each for the bereaved families of those killed in firing incident.

Federal Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik has said that a Gilgit-based terrorist group has been involved in recent incidents of target-killings in the City. Maulvi Fazlullah, a leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat has been aiding and abetting the outlaws for attack in the City to spread terrorism.

The Federal minister was talking to media here on Saturday. Rehman Malik ruled out the involvement of any sectarian group in the recent killings of Shias in the City, claiming confidently that it was a death squad of a terrorist wing and the LEAs were closed to bust the group. He pinpointed that a group of terrorists from Gilgit had also joined the death squads operating in different parts of the country.

Citing the statement of a woman who claimed to be mother of a terrorist, the minister pointed out that the woman told the LEAs that her son was hired by a terrorist group for subversive activity in the provincial metropolis. “My son is being paid Rs60,000 to 70,000 for each anti-state act,” he quoted her as saying and added that the intelligence agencies had reached their tail and would be busted very soon.

“In the wake of rising use of motorcycles by terrorist groups for their activities, month-long pillion-riding ban in the City has been suggested to the Sindh Home Department, the minister disclosed.

Regarding memo-gate issue, he said that Sharif brothers should stop digging wells for others as they could also fell prey to the phenomenon themselves. Rehman Malik opined that everyone was talking about memo-gate which was nothing more than a non-issue and but nobody talked about Mehran Bank scandal, which could expose big names of the country.  Replying to a question, Malik said that the Sindh Home Minister was independent to take action against the group. When his attention was drew towards shutter-down strike observed in Sindh, the minister said that all people who believed in democracy should come to table for dialogue because all issues could be resolved only through dialogue.

Experts highlight importance of regularization of labs:  There is urgent need for standardization and regularization of diagnostic laboratonal in the country, said participants of conference “Breaking Barriers in Healthcare,” on Saturday.

Medical professionals, from different hospitals, were discussing infectious diseases during first day of the three day moot jointly organized by Indus Hospital in collaboration with Infectious Diseases Society (IDS). They referred to mushroom growth of diagnostic laboratories, often void of any quality and criterion, at the cost of precious human lives. Participants of the moot strongly recommended continuing medical education cum training programs and refresher courses for technicians and other professionals associated with laboratories.

Need to regulate diagnostic services and accuracy of diagnostic tests was also strongly recommended by the participants of the moot. These were cited to be prerequisite for proper treatment of various diseases as emergence of wide range of viruses and infections make the medical experts largely dependent on lab based investigations. Emphasizing easy and cost effective availability of necessary gadgets and chemicals required at labs, they said this has to be without compromising the quality. Experts on the occasion extensively discussed, and will be discussing during next two days of the moot, issues that are peculiar to the country.

These included dengue, multi drug resistant TB, malaria, rapid diagnostic tests, real life infectious diseases etc, Prof Altaf Ahmed, coordinator of the moot said Indus Hospital has acquired tremendous experience in diagnosis and management.

Published in Nation news

“Gilgiti group” involved in Karachi killings: Rehman Malik

Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, has coined a new term “Gilgiti Group”, to describe alleged terrorists who gunned down several people, including three lawyers, the other day.

The minister said that the so-called “Gilgiti Group Squad” has smuggled weapons to Karachi in oil tankers. He revealed that mother of one of the alleged terrorists had tipped the police about his son’s involvement in sectarian violence.

Rehman told the media that they will soon catch the group. He warned members of the group that they cannot hide from the claws, whether they travel in buses, cars or live in “Defence”, a posh locality in Karachi city.

The term “Gilgiti Group” has drawn criticism in the Gilgit – Baltistan region where people have accused the interior minister of damaging the tourism industry by using misleading terms.

Published in Pamirtimes

Published in badesumal

Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik on Monday said the government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) would be provided all-out support to ensure security and maintain law and order during month of Muharram-ul-Harram. He was talking to Chief Minister GB, Syed Mehdi Shah, who called on the Minister here to discuss matters relating to security in GB during Muharram.