By: Khalilur Rehman Bacha
MINGORA: Interior Minister Rehman Malik offered on Tuesday Rs100 million bounty for Ehsanullah Ehsan, the spokesman for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who claimed responsibility on behalf of his terrorist group the attempt to kill Malala Yousufzai.
Mr Rehman made the announcement during a visit to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital to enquire after Kainat, a friend of Malala who was also injured during the attack.
Talking to media personnel, the minister vowed to arrest the perpetrators of the attack and award them exemplary punishment. He paid tribute to Malala Yousufzai and her classmates for their courage and bravery and conveyed President Asif Ali Zardari’s best wishes to them and their families.
He said the government would bear the expenses of Kainat’s education and provide job to her brother. The minister said three units of the Frontier Constabulary would be named after Malala, Kainat and Shazia, another class fellow of Malala injured in the attack.
He said pride of performance would be awarded to hospital staffers Dr Shah Duran, Mian Gul Ameem, Fazal Haider and Kalsoom for their efforts to save life of Kainat. Sitara-i-Shujaat would be conferred on Malala according to an order issued by the president, the minister said.
The minister said the government was providing security to Malala Yousufzai’s family and her injured class fellows. He said nobody could deny the fact that Taliban were cruel and vicious people. Answering a question, he said there was no plan to launch a military operation in North Waziristan ‘at the moment’.
He alleged that Maulana Fazlullah (popularly known as Mulla Radio) and Maulvi Faqir Mohammad were planning attacks inside Pakistan from across the Afghan border. The issue has been taken up with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.
However, the minister again offered general amnesty to those militants who surrendered and laid down arms. Quoting intelligence reports, he said Maulana Fazlullah was being appointed the leader of the TTP because Hakeemullah Mehsud had either died or gone underground.
