Law of land to take course if Musharraf arrives: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister, Rehman Malik on Monday said law of the land would take its course if former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf arrives in Pakistan.

“Officially I have no information about his arrival or in which city he (Musharraf) will land, but one can contact his party people to know about detail,” said Malik.

The minister said this after attending a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior held at Headquarters of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

Rehman Malik ruled out any mediation on part of Saudi Arabia’s government in connection with arrival of Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan. “Saudi Arabia has requested nothing in this regard,” he added.

The minister said the government would issue Pakistan’s visa to US businessman, Mansoor Ejaz whenever he wants. As per directions of Commission, probing memo issue, the government would also provide security to Mansoor Ejaz if he arrives, Rehman Malik assured.

“Chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif knows better that who is Mansoor Ejaz and if Nawaz Sharif wants to take him to Raiwind as a guest, all security would be provided,” he said, in response to a question.

When asked about involvement of his ministry’s officials in corruption, Malik said, the officials of Ministry of Interior, who were involved in corruption, have been arrested and challaned. Moreover, the cases registered ten years back, were also being scrutinised and action would also be taken as per law.

Rehman Malik said NADRA has been tasked to computerised arm licenses issued by Ministry of Interior with the objective to ensure transparency.

The minister asked the license holders to get their arm licenses re-registered so the process could be completed within set time frame.

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Musharraf will be arrested when he returns: Manzoor Wassan

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan said on Monday that former president Pervez Musharraf will be arrested from the airport when he returns.

Speaking to the media, Wassan said that the government had received warrants for Musharraf’s arrest and arrangements had been made to send him to Landhi Jail.

The home minister said that Musharraf will be sent to C-Class prison, which may be changed to A-Class if the court orders it.

Musharraf had announced that he would return to Pakistan between January 27 and 30, despite ‘baseless’ court cases.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik had earlier stated that, “Proclaimed offenders like Musharraf should be arrested.”

The former general is wanted in various high-profile cases pending in local courts, including his alleged involvement in former premier Benazir Bhutto’s murder, the interior minister had said.

Earlier, senior special prosecutor Azhar Chaudhry had also said that Musharraf will be arrested on his return to Pakistan.

Azhar, who is representing the federation in Benazir Bhutto’s murder case, said there is no need to issue new warrants for his arrest since the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi has already issued arrest warrants in the case.

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Army, ISI chief statements to SC not approved by govt: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Monday said that any official action by a government functionary without the prior approval of the government was unconstitutional and illegal.

In an interview to a Chinese newspaper, Prime Minister Gilani referred to the observation of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry that any act of a government functionary without the government’s nod is unconstitutional and therefore illegal.

PM Gilani pointed out that the responses given by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and DG ISI Ahmed Shuja Pasha to the Supreme Court in connection to the alleged memo controversy did not contain the approval of the competent authority as required.

No summary seeking approval of a competent authority was initiated by the Ministry of Defence, nor was any approval obtained from the defence minister in this regard.

The Prime Minister stated that in two simultaneous issues, one relating to the Nato attack on Pakistani borders and the other relating to a letter written by an American national to another American, the civil and military leadership of Pakistan held detailed meetings and took immediate decisions.

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