Malik said Bilawal’s security has been tightened here and in UK. He said Al Qaeda had planned the kidnapping during Bilawal’s visit to Karachi. The visit was canceled.
Malik told a security conference here that interior ministry’s crisis management cell learnt about this threat in September, and issued notifications regarding the matter to top aides of the president and the prime minister.
The intelligence agencies sent a report to the interior ministry on September 27 stating that Al Qaeda was planning to abduct Bhutto-Zardari and that other officials could also be targeted by the organisation,
After receiving the report, the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) informed the provincial interior department, Inspector-General Police of Sindh and Director-General Sindh Rangers of the plot and recommended strict measures to ensure the security of the PPP chairman. After receiving the report, the NCMC informed the provincial interior department, inspector-general police Sindh and director-general Sindh Rangers of the plot and recommended strict measures to ensure the security of the Pakistan People’s Party chairman.
Sources said that a high-level meeting at the provincial interior department on October 14 had alerted the police and had also decided to launch searches to apprehend Al Qaeda members. The interior minister also said on Monday that Shahbaz Taseer, the kidnapped son of slain former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, is still alive and has been shifted to the Pak-Afghan border.
Malik said he has information that Shahbaz is alive, more information could not be disclosed regarding the investigation into the abduction.Malik’s statement regarding Shahbaz’s whereabouts comes after Punjab Governor Latif Khosa’s statement in August, when he claimed that Shahbaz was still alive.
Khosa said significant clues regarding Shahbaz’s abduction have been found during the investigation.
In this regard a high-level meeting at the provincial interior department on October 14 had alerted the police and had also decided to launch searches to apprehend Al Qaeda members.
The interior minister added that “necessary measures” have been taken for Bilawal’s security.
Rehman Malik also denied former Sindh interior minister and PPP leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s allegation that has connection with private security company Blackwater.“I don’t own any security agency … the allegations are false,” Malik said, terming the security company as “notorious”.
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