ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday said the clashes in Gilgit-Baltistan are not of a sectarian nature, rather hidden forces are involved and were trying to disrupt peace in the areas.

These are the elements, who desire disturbance, chaos and they do not want progress in GB, he said while talking to mediapersons after having a meeting with Ulema from different school of thoughts.

The minister said basic objective of the meeting was to discuss problems in GB and prepare a strategy to avoid such a situation in future.

Enumerating the measures adopted after the unfortunate incident in Kohistan last month, Rehman Malik said patrolling of Police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) has been enhanced while GB Police have been further empowered.

Rehman Malik also thanked Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Former Senator, Abbas Kumeli and MQM Chief Altaf Hussain for their role in normalizing situation in GB.

Ulema including Mufti Munibur Rehman, Mufti Nazir Farooqui, Qazi Niaz Hassan Naqvi and a number of others condemned incidents in GB and said all the sects are living in Pakistan with peace and that there is no atmosphere of sectarianism.

At the same time, Chief Coordinator Gilgit Baltistan and PML-N leader Siddique-ul-Farooq alleged that the GB chief minister and cabinet members of Mehdi Shah are the creator's of the bloody riots in Gilgit.

Addressing a news conference at PML-N Central Secretariat, he accused the Interior Minister of patronising anti-social elements.

He further said the motive behind the riots was to hide PPP corruption and incompetency. The PML-N leader said Mehdi Shah has no right to stay in power while innocent people are being killed.