16 September 2004	Thursday	30 Rajab 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The government on Wednesday constituted special committees to find a political solution to the situation in Wana and Balochistan. This was stated here on Wednesday by Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

He told newsmen that the amnesty offered by the government to foreign terrorists in Wana would continue and they would not be handed over to any country if they surrendered. "But a bullet will be responded with a bullet," he warned and said the political option would move side by side with the military option. The operation in Wana would continue along with talks.

He said the decision had been taken at a high-level meeting held at the President's Camp Office. It was presided over by President Pervez Musharraf and attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and four chief ministers, federal ministers and senior officials.

The committee on Wana will include NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah and Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, while another member from the federal cabinet would be inducted into it later.

Another parliamentary committee comprising senators and MNAs will be announced soon by the prime minister to seek a political solution of the situation in Balochistan. Sheikh Rashid stated that no military operation was being conducted in Balochistan and urged the media to report objectively about the situation and not to undermine national interests.

He said: "President has taken a serious notice of the irresponsible reporting in a section of the print and electronic media regarding the Wana operation and urged them to verify their facts."

He said the government would soon set up media centres in Peshawar and Wana and organize visits to help media personnel observe the situation. He said that besides weapons the government had found a number of computers in Shakai containing sensitive data, which showed the nefarious designs of the terrorists. -APP