Rehman confirms killing of hardcore militants

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said that the government has credible information about killing of Bajaur based militant commanders but official confirmation is yet to be announced after dead bodies of the two are recovered. Talking to media here at Balahisar Fort, headquarters of Frontier Corps while responding to a question regarding confirmation of the hardcore Taliban commanders Molvi Faqir Muhammad and Qari Zia-ur-Rehman, the Minister stated that it will be a great surprise if the two are still alive as the military has already destroyed their strongholds and there is credible information that both of the commanders have been killed. However, the Minister added, I can confirm it officially when dead bodies of the two notorious commanders are recovered.Baitullah Mehsood, Hakimullah Mehsood and militant commanders like them have not done justice to their people. They have brutally murdered a large number of innocent Muslims including women, children and non-combatant civilians. The militants still have a chance to surrender and the government will react harshly if they dont, said the Minister. Let me repeat my words, we will flush them out as we are flushing them out he continued. To a question regarding progress in the investigation of Mumbai attacks, the Minister said the government has received fresh dossier from Indian government and it is under study by the concerned quarter but one point is that the Indian side has appreciated the steps taken by Pakistan in this regard. On the Foreign Secretary level dialogue between the two countries, the Minister said, Pakistan is willing to show maximum flexibility but world community must not treat Pakistan with discrimination. Who doesnt know what they are doing with our waters Malik added. The issue of water and Kashmir must come under discussion during talks, the Minister concluded. Earlier,the Minister was briefed by Inspector General Frontier Constabulary Major Gen Tariq Khan on the subject of capacity, strategy and future trends of the paramilitary forces in a formal meeting of the minister with senior commanders of FC.