44 people affiliated with banned outfits taken into protective custody: Shehryar

44 people affiliated with banned outfits taken into protective custody: Shehryar

Islamabad (Staff Report): The federal government on Tuesday detained 44 people affiliated with the banned organisations, including Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), under the National Action Plan. (NAP)

Addressing a press conference along with Secretary Interior in Islamabad, State Minister for Interior Shahriyar Afridi said that the action was taken without any foreign pressure.

He said that and government is taking indiscriminate action against the banned outfits.

“Pakistan's land will not be used against anyone or any country and it will not allow others to intervene into our affairs”, Afridi said.

The minister said actions under NAP will continue. He said progress on NAP will be reviewed after every fortnight.

Speaking on this occasion, secretary said that the government will take strict action against the banned outfits.

He told the newsmen that the government has taken 44 people into protective custody in the first phase.

The interior secretary said that Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar were named in the Indian dossiers sent to Pakistan regarding the aftermath of Pulwama attack but added that the Indian dossiers lack concrete evidence against any member.

“Pakistani government has demanded evidence against the said individuals through the Foreign Office, action will be taken against the members if evidence is found during the investigations”, he said.

The interior secretary added that the detained persons would be released in case no evidence found against them.