Rehman Malik rejects Athar's statement on Kayani, NWA offensive

KARACHI: Former Interior Minister and PPP leader, Rehman Malik while rejecting the claim of former military spokesperson, Major General (R) Athar Abbas, has said that it is unjust to declare General (R) Kayani responsible of not launching an offensive in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) – ARY News reports.

In his exclusive word with ARY News, Rehman Malik said that the statement of the former military spokesperson that an operation in North Waziristan could not be launched due to the reluctance of the former Pakistan Army Chief, General (R) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, is not true.

He told that General (R) Kayani accepted all the orders of the then PPP-government, in regard of the operation against militants.

Malik said that if Major General (R) Athar Abbas has made such a claim, he is also supposed to bring evidences in support of it, before the people.

Earlier on June 30, former DG of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General (R) Athar Abbas had said that an operation in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) was decided 3 years ago, yet it could not be launched due to the hesitation of the former Pakistan Army Chief, General (R) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.

In his interview to foreign news agency, Athar Abbas had said that the military leadership had given a go-ahead in 2011, for an offensive in North Waziristan, yet it was delayed due to the reluctance of General (R) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and the country had to bear irreparable losses of that.