RAWALPINDI: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Tuesday rejected the impression that an army operation was underway against Taliban in North Wazristan tribal agency bordering Afghanistan.

“No operation is underway in North Waziristan. The government's first priority is to engage Taliban with dialogue process and significant developments would soon be visible in next few weeks,” he told reporters after inaugurating the newly-constructed building of Regional Passport Office here.

In an obvious reference to Maulana Samiul Haq, Chaudhry Nisar also dispelled the notion that the task to hold dialogues was assigned to an individual saying the government had not given authority to any individual for negotiations with Taliban.

“The entire dialogue process would be carried out in light of the decisions taken at the All Parties Conference (APC),” he added.

Answering a question, the minister said first draft of anti-terrorism bill had been formulated and the same would soon be presented before the federal cabinet for its onward submission to the Parliament.

“We are burning mid-night oil to devise comprehensive strategy to counter the curse of terrorism.”

The interior minister said the new policy would be made so comprehensive that it may counter the internal as well external threats of terrorism.

He agreed with a questioner that the journalist community had been performing in adverse environment, whereby it had laid a number of lives in the line of duty.

Chaudhry Nisar said the government was making an all-out effort to protect working journalists facing threats in different parts of the country.

He pointed out that the Interior Ministry in consultation with the Ministry of Information would soon be framing laws to protect the working journalists.

When his attention was drawn towards a recent statement of former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the minister said Musharraf while in the office had maligned the fame and authority of the national prime institution and now again he is using the same tactics to save his own skin.

He said the government would soon be enacting a comprehensive plan to deal with the challenges like price hike of daily use items, loadshedding in power sector whether it be provision of natural gas or electricity, in consultation with the stakeholders.

“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) firmly believes in system of good governance that ensures corruption free society ultimately achieving the goal of prosperous and strong Pakistan.”

Chaudhry Nisar said testimony of the fact is that things have started visibly improving and the major national entities like Pakistan Railways, PIA and others have started showing progress instead of being declared bankrupt.

Commenting on law and order situation in the country, the interior minister said the situation has considerably improved in Balochistan and Sindh due to the effective policies adopted by the federal government with the help of the respective provincial governments.

Successfully holding the peaceful local government elections in Balochistan and 40 per cent decrease of crime rate in Karachi are themselves omen of our good governance and adoption of better approach to deal with such type of curses, he added.