ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik stated that Blackwater is not operating in Pakistan, but that the security firm Dyncorp - which provides security to American diplomats and also works with the US Army in Afghanistan - has been granted concessions in carrying arms.
         
Blackwater, visa fraud and deportation of US citizens and rape cases in the country were some of the issues raised in the National Assembly on Friday.

Speaking on the floor of National Assembly, Rehman Malik said that although concessions have been provided to Dyncorp, diplomats are still not allowed to display arms as per policy. He added that a strong protest has been lodged with a foreign embassy whose members were arrested in Islamabad for carrying arms.

Malik also said that 48 US citizens and over 12,000 Afghan nationals have been deported from Pakistan during the last five years.

Meanwhile, the government has cancelled illegally obtained ID cards belonging to about 90,000 Afghan nationals. He added that the FIA has registered over 1,000 cases of obtaining visas on fake passports since year 2000.

Malik also mentioned that around 7,000 rape cases have been reported in the country, with 5,000 alone in Punjab in the last three years.