Extremists have converted the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) into the world's most dangerous area, Rehman Malik, adviser on interior, said on Monday.He urged the militants to lay down their arms if they were sincere to Islam and Pakistan.
Talking to Daily Times at an iftar dinner, Malik said that the government would welcome the militants if they surrender their arms, but obviously 'cannot award them medals for their acts'. The interior adviser said four would-be suicide bombers were in the government's custody and were being investigated.
To a question, he said that according to initial investigation reports, two bullets were fired at the prime minister's convoy, adding that the government was searching for the culprits. He said the supplies to the ISAF forces in Afghanistan through Pakistan were part of the Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement, and there was no covert agreement in that regard.
Malik hoped that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would continue to work in an alliance in the Punjab, and also co-operate at the Centre. Pakistan has registered a protest to the United States, concerning the violation of Pakistan's territorial boundaries, added Malik.