PML-N tables bill to regulate operations of foreign security agencies in Pak

Washington, Jan. 13 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has tabled a bill in the National Assembly to regulate the operations of foreign security agencies in Pakistan.

While tabling 'The Foreign Security Agency (Regulation of Operation) Bill 2009', PML-N legislator Engineer Khurram Dastgir said the Government should make legislation to regulate the operations of foreign security agencies to safeguard national security as well as national interest.

The Nation quoted Khurram as saying that the Ministry of Interior should register the bio-data of the personnel of foreign security agencies along with the record of weapons which the foreigners have during their stay in Pakistan.

Under the proposed law, these personnel would have no diplomatic immunity, he added.

Responding to the Bill, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that there was no presence of Blackwater or any other foreign security agency involved in criminal activities in the country.

He added that there were 411 Americans staying in Islamabad and out of them, 289 were diplomats.

However, Malik did not oppose the Bill that was introduced and later was referred to the concerned Standing Committee. (ANI)