KARACHI, Feb 10: Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider has ruled out any link of “Al-Qaeda” organization with the disappearance of US journalist Daniel Pearl who is a correspondent of “The Wall Street Journal”.

However, the minister said there could be a possibility of involvement of a banned militant outfit in the kidnapping.

Responding to questions after inauguration of NADRA’s Swift Registration Centre at Awami Markaz on Sunday, Mr Haider said that “we have not heard from his captors in the last 14 days” and denied of having any negotiations with them.

When his attention was drawn towards a report about Daniel’s booking for a London flight, he said so far Daniel Pearl had not been recovered and asked the press to report only after due investigation and confirmation.

“Whenever the US correspondent is recovered, instead of sending him abroad immediately, the government would disclose it to the press and also ask him about his kidnappers and his abduction story.”

He said it was India which did not allow foreign journalists to visit Kashmir and see for themselves state-sponsored terrorism while Pakistan’s policy was of openness as “we have nothing to hide”.