Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday demanded a formal apology from India for implicating a deceased member of the Sindh Assembly from Muttahida Qaumi Movement Manzar Imam in the recent bomb blasts in Indian Hyderabad.

India TV on Sunday used an image of the late MPA for an alleged suspect involved in the recent blasts in Hyderabad. “I demand from India a formal apology. It has brought ill-repute to Pakistan. Provide us the proof for making such serious allegations,” he said while talking to the media after a consultative meeting of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad.

Malik exhorted India to verify before making comments, and said Manzar Imam had a positive record and was a gentleman. The Indian news channel was referring to a member of the Indian Mujahideen (IM); however, it used Imam’s photo. The IM member was the alleged ‘mastermind’ behind the bombings.

To a media query about the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the minister said the world knew that who provided security to banned outfit’s leader Malik Ishaq. He said a strong action against this outfit was a must, and opined that the Supreme Court should summon its leadership.
Malik however said no one would be allowed to go against the national interests. To another question, he said Dr Ishratul Ebad was still the governor of Sindh province. He told the media that security had been increased on the borders to stop smuggling.

Earlier in his address, Malik said the protection of life and property of the citizens was the duty of the government. He said the federal government could intervene under the Constitution if a provincial government failed to control law and order. He said that it would provide every sort of assistance to the provinces to maintain order. He said the government would discuss the security problems with the businessmen and that the government was trying to restore the confidence of the investors.

The government, added Malik, would provide protection to the foreign investors and had simplified the procedure of the transfer of foreign exchange.The minister said incidents of targeted killing in Karachi and Quetta were the handiwork of those elements that wanted to stop the flow of investment to the country.