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ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday stated that the militant Islamic State (IS) group which is a Middle Eastern organisation, has no presence in Pakistan
"Daesh does not exist in Pakistan. Other terrorist groups, which are involved in activities against the state are using Daesh's name and are causing death and destruction in the country," the interior minister elaborated.
He said IS does not maintain the same level of presence in Pakistan as it does in other North African and Middle Eastern countries.
Read: IS emerging as a threat, warns IB chief
Earlier this week, the director general of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Aftab Sultan, informed the Senate Standing Committee on Interior that the IS group was emerging as a threat in the country because several militant groups had soft corner for it.
The IB cheif specifically named Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan as examples.
The interior ministry has been denying the presence of IS in Pakistan, saying that it was an Arab organisation. But Mr Sultan said the IB had busted a big IS network after several members reached Punjab following Karachi’s Safoora Goth carnage in May.
Sultan elaborated that terrorists were reorganising and stressed the need for a border control mechanism, particularly with Afghanistan, enhanced regional cooperation, implementation of the National Action Plan and de-radicalisation policy with a focus on counter-narrative.
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Asim Bajwa had also stated in November 2015 that Pakistan has a zero tolerance for Daesh and the terrorist group has no acceptance in the country.
He had elaborated that the Pakistani society has totally rejected Daesh and there was no acceptance of the terror group in Pakistan.
He had also stated that action is expected against any visibility of Daesh in Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention that the interior minister had stated the same in Novermber last year.
A claim on this region
IS has staked a claim to this region — which it refers to by its historical name of 'Khorasan' — as part of its expansionist agenda; and its territorial gains in Syria and Iraq, where it is putting its ultra-radical ideology into practice, offer a template for terrorist groups in Pakistan.
Among these is the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, one of the main perpetrators of sectarian carnage in the country, whose links with the ‘IS-inspired’ militants have been disclosed by the police.
IS in January 2015 had also announced its organisational structure for 'Khorasan' led by a former leader of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Orakzai, Hafez Saeed Khan. A former Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Rauf Khadim, was named his deputy.
For more live updates, follow Dawn.com's official news Instagram account @dawn.today
Comments (33) Closed
Well done Mr. Ch Nisar.
actually some anchor and political people want to convert/remove Govt attention to their target killing and corruption and want to releif from NAP
take your job continue and do with best interest of the nation
Daesh, of course, does not exist in the form of organization but we need to be wary of the fact that we have shortage of pathologically ill people who love to be the part of such evil enterprise.
Our intelligence agencies will have to be on guard for next 10 years to ward off such diabolical threats.
Well done Mr. Ch Nisar. actually some anchor and political people want to convert/remove Govt attention to their target killing and corruption and want to releif from NAP
take your job continue and do with best interest of the nation
Ch. sahib may be more knowledgeable than the DG .IB ,who may like benefit from the Interior Minister. The danger is this public show of confusion may only encourage the consolidation of DAESH . While its prudent not to create panic, confusion in govt ranks is not a good sign.
Burying our head in sand. We used to say the same about Talibans till they came knocking on our governments door to evict them. Shameful tactics by incapable government servants.
Don't be so complacent! Vigilance is the order of the day.
Ch.Nissar is 100% right.
@Harmony-1© , Those who call themselves members of Daesh are petty cash criminals of the streets of Pakistan.
Why Ch. Nisar trying to protect I.S. ,whereas D.G.I.B. clearly stated presence of I.S in Pakistan
That's reassuring. They have not yet taken over our cities. Lets wait to count them as 'present' until a full blown civil war erupts. Another pearl of wisdom from our genius Inferior Minister.
Once again?
The Name of cheif ambassador of Daesh in Pakistan is 'Abdul Aziz'. The whole Nation knows that. Please open your eyes and ears Mr. Nisar.
white lie, in which kind of proof we give you, the Leader of ISIS in Lal Masjid? Who is Abdul Aziz...?
As ususal state of denial
We need to curb the mindset that has sympathies for terrorists either on the basis of sectarian extremism or ethnicity. Otherwise, after some time, such an outfit will emerge with any other name and likeminded people with start flocking towards it.
Keep people confuse until ISIS start accepting responsibility for bomb blasts and other massaccre like Taliban did in the last decade
We all know, Daesh found it hard to establish presence in Pakistan,
The director general of the Intelligence Bureau, Aftab Sultan, informed the Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Wednesday that the militant Islamic State group was emerging as a threat in the country because several militant groups had soft corner for it. He named Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan as examples.
Nothing else comes to mind after his persistence to deny Daesh existence even when the IB chief has spoken so loud and clear on the subject.
Choudhary Nissan what is your problem about admitting existing of Danish in Pakistan? Are you afraid that Pakistan Ranges will become active in Punjab to fight terrorists and their supporters.?
Pakistani society is vibrant they have long history of peace, but anti-Pakistan forces always use peoples within us by using religion or ethnicity issue, so Pakistan political leaders, agencies and security forces have to keep strong vigilance day &night on such external factors and work for Pakistan and its ideology, not for personal benefits & promotion. Govt. should promote merit in all walks of life for better future of Pakistan. Other wise external factors have sleeping cells and lot of other poweful tools for their right time to strike and declare Pakistan as failed state.
Please 'do more' to control crimes in Pakistan. (1) Reform police system. (2) Retire corrupt police officers right away (3) Hire honest, well educated, hard working policemen and do their regular performance appraisal. Involve local/civic society people for regular meeting to learn about any complaints against police departments. Please less speeches, more action. Time to show some positive results. People are fed up with claims and speeches (elections are over long time ago).
Daesh doesnt need any advocates
Chaudery Nisar is crossing every concieveable line of sanity .
Who is right DG-IB/Nisar ?
@Yes Man best comment
Now I'm certain they have a presence in the country........ as too many ruling politicians are denying this.
AQ and ISIS are just the symptoms, till the time there is social injustice and corruption in the society, young people will always join these violent organizations to challenge the unjust system. Military operations are only temporary solutions, lasting remedy will only come about if we enact social justice and merit. The earlier we realize this, less blood will be spilt.
No Daesh in Pakistan? What is this guy smoking?
A wise man does not make such statements, best to be on your guard at all times Mr Chaudhry.
Baseless comment meant for score ng political points. Who cares what name they go by? Terrorists are s menace to Pakistan and rest of region.
It isn't Pakistan's Govt efficiency that kept IS under control rather it is IS inability to recover from Syrian fight so unable to focus over Pakistan.
Fall of Syrian Govt would mean brutal invasion of Pakistan as Pakistan/ Afghanistan are next targets and their invasion is included in US nato plan of new word order where Saudis and Turkish Govts are serving them blindly. Those in Pakistan who were against Syrian Govt should better open their eyes and recognize who is sincerely fighting with IS and because of whom they are still safe.
Ch Nasir is putting this Nation in a quagmire for not giving factual intelligence on the self-styled ISIS. The Pakistan premier civil intelligence agency stated that ISIL is emerging as a threat and we should take this very seriously otherwise (God forbid) if something bad happens in future and founds out to be that IS was behind those cowards attacks,it will be the that very intelligence agency who will be blamed for not providing concrete intelligence. Keeping a nation in a dark is not going to benefit any one.