Extremists Claiming To Be Part Of Daesh Are A Crime Syndicate:

ISLAMABAD Sept 2 (APP) : Spokesman to the Prime Minister Dr Musadik Malik has said the extremists claiming to be part of Daesh in Pakistan are like a crime syndicate comprising dissidents or run-away from different organizations and having different purposes.

"Operatives from different organization have joined hands and claim to be part of Daesh. In my personal opinion it is like a crime syndicate having purposes like targeting minorities, carrying out sabotage activities and some among them claiming to wage Jihad," he said in a private news channel program.

He said Daesh is a middle Eastern organization but as far as Pakistan is concerned, extremists from different organization have grouped up and share manpower, resources, hideouts and intelligence for unlawful activities.

"I see them as a crime syndicate and we have a firm belief to eradicate this syndicate," he said. "These criminals may have their concentration in certain areas. Some among them go sub- surface and some supra-surface.

But, we shall eliminate them." Answering a question, the spokesman said, situation today was far better than 2013 as in stated year 2000 incidents of terrorism were reported that had declined to 300 in 2016.

Interior Ministry has re-registered 100 million SIMs and banned five million, confiscated 40,000 duplicate passports and canceled 126,000 duplicate IDs. "The situation is improving as actions are underway." In this connection, he also mentioned to blocking flow of Rs one billion funds meant for terrorist funding, banning terrorist outfits, starting combing operation, banning use of loud speaker and hate material and initiate geo mapping of seminaries to know about the curriculum being taught over there.

"We have done a lot. But, there may be need of doing more. So we shall have to sanely proceed further to fight this menace," he added. He said the government and security forces are steadfast in countering terrorism and results of three years efforts are apparent.

Answering a question, he said, Maulana Aziz is a phantom and there is no case against him despite that his accomplices killed army officers and jawans during Lal Masjid operation when the country was governed by a dictator.

Musadik Malik said he had no love-lost about Maulana Aziz. "I even feel awkward to say anything that implicates even an impression of defending him. The question is why a case was not registered against him and even if any case was registered then how he was bailed out.

As per information, presently there is no case against him." When asked about deployment of Rangers in other parts of the country, he said, when any provincial government will send a request to deploy Rangers, the Federal government will respond positively.

"If Imran Khan's party will request, the federal government will send Rangers to KPK and if Shahbaz Sharif will request, it will be responded accordingly." He said even in case of Sindh, the federal government had proposed that Rangers can be called back if Sindh government does not need them.