ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Senate’s standing committee on interior, Rehman Malik, has said that self-styled Islamic State (IS) group, which is also known as Daesh, is involved in terrorist activities in Karachi.

In a statement released on Monday to inform the media about the senator’s meeting with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in Dubai on Sunday, Mr Malik said: “Recent confession by suspects involved in the Safoora carnage about their link to Daesh is evidence of the presence of the organisation in the country and its involvement in acts of terrorism in Karachi.”

“I briefed the former president about the intensifying threat posed by Daesh and its terrorist activities in the country, particularly in Karachi,” he said.

During the meeting in which terrorism, the Karachi situation and political situation of the country were discussed, Mr Zardari praised the role of army in Operation Zarb-i-Azb being conducted against terrorists and paid tribute to fallen soldiers for their sacrifices for the motherland, Mr Malik said.

The senator quoted Mr Zardari as saying PPP and the Sindh government supported actions being taken by security agencies, including Rangers, against terrorists.

However, the PPP co-chairman insisted that while taking actions against suspects, law-enforcement agencies must ensure that innocent people were not victimised.

The Rangers and police were doing a great job to rid Karachi of terrorism, he said and expressed the hope that peace would be restored soon in the city as a result of the targeted operation.

Mr Zardari said that action against terrorists and banned organisations should be accelerated and their financers and supporters should be dealt with iron hands in accordance with law.

Mr Malik said that PPP, its leadership and Sindh government were aware about serious security threats to the country and they would leave no stone unturned to eradicate terrorism.

Published in Dawn ,July 14th, 2015

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