‘Threat of suicide attacks still exists’
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Emergency rule has improved law and order in the country but the threat of suicide attacks had not yet diminished, said Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema here on Tuesday. Briefing media persons, he said that the federal government has issued instructions to the provinces and security apparatus to redouble their vigilance to ward off the grave threat of terrorism. They have been asked to leave no scope for the terrorists to hit even soft targets, he said. The spokesman said that directives have been issued for security high alert due to apprehensions of more suicide attacks.
He said that army would be deployed in the provinces during elections only if a formal request was made by provincial governments. Cheema said that the security forces have cleared the Swat region of extremists and militants and they are now on the run. Maulana Fazlullah and a handful of his hardcore followers are confined in the remote pockets where they are being chased and will be arrested soon, he claimed.
He said that suicide attack on a school bus at Kamra is another grim reminder of the ugly design of the perpetrators to subvert the democratic process. He said due to the comprehensive security measures taken by the law enforcement agencies throughout the country, the anti-state elements are becoming increasingly desperate in their mad pursuit.
The spokesman said that law and order situation in Balochistan has also considerably improved. Most of the Ferrari camps have been destroyed. He however, admitted that sporadic acts of terrorism by anti-state elements do occur here and there.
He said that people’s participation and interest in government affairs have increased many folds during last few years. People of Balochistan are showing great enthusiasm for the forthcoming general elections. The fact that 284 candidates have filed their nomination papers for 14 National Assembly seats whereas 976 candidates have filed their papers against 51 Provincial Assembly seats indicate that people of Balochistan are not behind other provinces in zeal to be part of the democratic process, he added.
Replying a question, the spokesman said that all political personalities are getting equal level of security. He, however, said that security is contingent upon the level of threat faced to a particular individual. Responding to another question, he said so far no provincial government has requisitioned army for elections. He said that army would be deployed in the provinces during elections only if a formal request was made by provincial governments.
About release of Aitzaz Ahsan, he said it is for the provincial government to take a decision. He told a questioner that UK has already declared BLA as a terrorist organization and Pakistan is in touch with other members of the international community to get it declared terrorist outfit. Informing about the meeting of the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister with Interior Minister, the spokesman said that they exchanged instruments of ratification of the extradition treaty signed by the two countries in 2003. The main objectives of the treaty are to make more effective cooperation in the prevention and suppression of crimes and extradite any person wanted for enforcement of a sentence for an extradition offence, he concluded.
Interior ministry spokesman Brig (Retd) Javed Cheema has made it clear that no exile offer has been extended to deposed chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. He said this in his weekly press briefing here Tuesday. He held suicide attack on school children bus in Kamra was a heinous act as several children were injured in this attack.
The elements who want to sabotage the election process were behind this act, he maintained. Stringent security measures taken by law enforcement agencies have created despair among the anti state elements. They have failed to achieve their objectives. Attack on school bus was reflective of utter despair, he added. Government, security forces and nation were determined to defeat these elements, he underlined. “ We have directed provincial government to enhance their surveillance and leave no stone unturned to thwart evil designs of terrorists”, he pointed out.
He hinted security forces had cleansed Swat from terrorists and extremists and they were on run. Maulana Fazlullah was hiding in the mountains along with his associates. They will be chased and eliminated soon, he announced. The law and order situation in Balochistan has improved and people of Balochistan are taking part in electoral process enthusiastically. 284 candidates have filed nomination papers for 14 seats of national assembly in Balochistan and 976 candidates for 51 seats of provincial assembly, he pointed out.
To a question Javed Iqbal Cheema told he was not aware of Sarfraz Bugti detention. Any one can contest election and there was no restrictions on any body in this respect.