I am not NRO beneficiary: Malik

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

ISLAMABAD – While showing respect for the courts, Minister for Interior Rehman Malik on Monday said that he would tender his resignation if he was convicted in any case.
Addressing a press conference, he lambasted all those who were criticising the Government, saying PPP was given mandate by the people of Pakistan so critics should respect that mandate.
“If they want to destabilise the democratic Government, they should use political means instead of hatching conspiracies against the Government,” Malik added.
To a query, he said that he was not an NRO beneficiary. “I have already been acquitted in four out of six cases and the court will decide my fate in the remaining two cases as well,” he informed.
He said that he was not convicted in any case under normal criminal procedure, rather he was sentenced in absentia. “The entire nation and media knows that the cases against me were politically motivated,” he added.
The Minister said that NRO was drafted by the dictator, General (Retd) Musharraf, not by PPP and all political parties and a number of bureaucrats had benefited from it but criticism at only PPP was beyond his understanding.
He clarified his position with regard to his resignation and shifting of his family to London. “Neither I tendered resignation nor Prime Minister asked me for the same. But a private TV channel aired my resignation news, which is condemnable,” he said.
Responding to a question, Malik said that he would file Rs one billion damage suit against a private TV channel for dissemination of false news regarding his resignation.
“As far as shifting of family to London is concerned, the other day my wife and son left for London as my son is studying at University of London and his varsity was reopened after holidays. But it is media which is framing that my family has shifted there,” he said.
Malik claimed that he had enough information to expose those who, according to him, were hatching conspiracies against the Government but he would not expose them as he believed in consensus.
Earlier, while expressing dissatisfaction over American court’s decision in Aafia’s case Pakistan has demanded of US to review the verdict.