RAWALPINDI, Jan 26: An anti-terrorist unit is being set up in the Federal Investigation Agency with the help of the United States’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, an official source told Dawn on Saturday.

“Our people lack training in dealing with terrorists and we want to establish a fully-trained and well-equipped small unit to deal such cases,” the source said.

The source said Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider had taken up this issue with FBI Director Robert Mueller during his recent visit to Pakistan and sought the FBI’s assistance for setting up this elite unit.

He said the FBI had earlier shown its “keen desire” through its embassy to set up anti-terrorist cell in Pakistan “on the pretext of assisting Pakistan” in fighting terrorism.

The FBI, he said, had offered to train a small elite Islamabad-based group of 30 police officers and to provide them the requisite support and equipment. The source, however, said that a MoU was being prepared for signing it with the FBI for this purpose.

“The issue was raised by the interior minister during his recent meeting with Mr Mueller and the two sides agreed on the formation of an anti-terrorist unit within the FIA,” the source said. “The police officers selected for anti-terrorism unit will be provided specialized training in Pakistan and the US by the FBI specialists.”

Asserting that the FIA would retain the control of the said unit, the source said the interior minister while requesting the FBI director for providing technical assistance and training to the Pakistani police officers in fighting terrorism, made it clear that the control of the new unit would remain with the FIA.

He said the minister also asked the FBI official for help in strengthening and providing latest equipments for training the provincial police. “The FBI director was also asked to expedite the extradition of the individuals against whom Red Corner Notices have been issued, especially corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who have looted the national wealth,” the source added.