Nisar slams PTI for ‘allegations, pile of lies’

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf should be ashamed for coming up with new allegations and 'pile of lies' on daily basis.

Responding to PTI’s rhetoric against NADAR chairman, the minister said at a press conference here on Sunday, “why should NADRA chairman feel ashamed when he speaks the truth”.

Chaudhry Nisar said names of individuals would now be put on the Exit Control List (ECL) on the recommendations of defence forces and intelligence agencies.

He announced major changes in the procedure of updating the ECL including removal of about 5,000 names. He also announced to bring the matter under the interior ministry.

Nisar said around 8,000 names were currently on the ECL, which he added was being blatantly used to malign people.

“I announce to remove about 5,000 names from the ECL except those belonging to banned organisations," he said.

The Black List, which is being run under the Passports Directorate and contained 52,000 names, will not exist from today, he added.

The minister said only the Passport Control List would be kept that would contain names of those deported from others countries and having dual passports.

He said there was a significant progress in the course of investigation into the attack that killed Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada.

The interior minister said security situation has improved in the country and he intends to present a report to the federal cabinet in this regard very soon.

Nisar said he was planning to convene a meeting of all the chief ministers in the first week of September where Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif would also be invited.

The interior minister said a meeting with administrators of all the madrassahs (religious seminaries) across the country would also be held next month.

Govt to counter anti-Army criticism to protect ‘exemplary ties’

The interior minister said Pakistan Army was a state institution and responsibility of its protection falls upon the government.

“Ties with the Army have been good for the last two years without any bitterness,” said the interior minister, adding that the government would respond to any unfounded criticism on the Army to protect the ‘exemplary ties’.

During the PTI sit-in, Prime Minister Sharif twice met with the then DG ISI and he accompanied the premier on both occasion, said Chaudhry Nisar.