Share this story!            

Saudi Arabia has promised support in terror war: Malik

* Interior minister says 43 foreigners, including Yemenis, arrested in South Waziristan

By Tahir Naz

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has assured its Pakistan of full support to the government in the fight against the Al Qaeda network, which is mainly dominated by Yemeni nationals, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday.

He was talking to reporters, flanked by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer, who had earlier met Malik at the Ministry of Interior and delivered a letter from Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Prince Muhammad Bin Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, pledging complete support.

Arrests: Malik said some Yemeni militants present in Pakistan were a threat to Saudi Arabia. He said Yemeni nationals were also active on the Pak-Afghan border. He also condemned the Yemeni group interfering in Saudi Arabia’s internal affairs.

The interior minister told reporters that 43 foreigners, including Yemeni citizens, having links with Al Qaeda had been apprehended during the military operation in South Waziristan.

To a question, he said there was no deadlock between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), adding that think tanks and legal committees had been constituted to resolve the issues between the two parties. He said the grievances voiced by the MQM did not mean that things would lead to disintegration of alliance. He said MQM chief Altaf Hussain had called him on the phone during talks in Dubai, saying he never demanded resignation from the president. “He assured that he would use all his resources to strengthen the president,” Malik said.

To another question, he said the ban on pilling riding in Islamabad would continue for another three months. He requested people in the federal capital to avoid pillion riding for three months to avoid any inconvenience, as pillion riders were carrying out terrorist attacks in Islamabad.

Earlier, Malik also chaired a meeting on law and order, which was participated by senior officials from the Ministry of Interior and law enforcement agencies.

Home | National

Share this story!