Ex-minister claims proof of IS presence in Pakistan

Former interior minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Rehman Malik claimed he has evidence about the presence of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Pakistan.

"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should sensitise the international community about the rapid penetration of IS into many countries and use the forum of Saarc for setting up of an international desk for sharing information about the activities of the group," Dawn online quoted Malik as saying Thursday.

"I have solid proofs that IS has established its contacts with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It is quite possible that one of Taliban leaders will soon be named as its chief in Pakistan," he said.

"I will brief the nation about documentary proofs and will make them public in a couple of days," he said.

He expressed disappointment over the PML-N government's response to the threat and said it was making no effort to track down the IS terrorists in the country.

"Instead of remaining in a state of denial, the government should take serious action before IS spreads like Taliban did and pushes the country into another phase of terrorism," he said.

The former interior minister urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to set up a task force to prevent IS from taking roots in the country.