'Banned individuals' not 'outfits' behind terror activities in Pak : Malik

Islamabad, Jun.5 (ANI): Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that 'banned individuals' and not the 'banned terror outfits' were responsible for terror activities across the country.

Interacting with media persons after addressing the National Assembly and Senate, Malik said that concerned over the increasing terror strikes in the country, the federal government has devised a special strategy to counter the ever-expanding threat.

He said that that government has already forwarded its new counter terrorism strategy to all provincial authorities.

Responding to a question regarding the recent violence in Karachi's Lyari area, Malik said that criminal gangs based in the area were behind the bloodshed, and that they were being helped by various political parties.

"Different gangs are fighting each other in the area and they are hiding behind the names of different political parties," The Dawn quoted Malik, as saying.

Malik also claimed that the Punjab government and the security forces have held as many as 700 terrorists who operated in south Punjab. (ANI)