PESHAWAR: Warning against any fresh military operation, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rahman asked the government to refrain from pushing the country towards a new blind war.
“The country’s affairs must be managed in accordance with the whims and wishes of the masses as without peace neither politics nor business will work,” the JI chief told the traders’ representatives here. Hafiz Naeemur Rahman said that the establishment, rulers and the bureaucracy should confess their failure and mend their ways.
“The JI has a history of struggle against foreign intervention as the country has always suffered the consequences of its love for the US,” he added.He said that due to the US war in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s economy suffered a loss of $200 billion and 100,000 people died during the so-called war on terror.
“The situation of peace in the country has worsened and the country is passing through a paradox where nobody knows who stands with whom,” the JI chief remarked.
Flanked by provincial president of the party Prof Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, deputy chief Dr Ataur Rahman and traders’ representatives, the JI chief said that Pakistan had a strong and historical relationship with Afghanistan. “Both the countries have rendered great sacrifices during the past four decades,” he said, adding that the tense relationship between the two brother Muslim countries would appease only India, Israel and the US.
Hafiz Naeem said that there was no terrorism in the country before 2001. But, a general who surrendered before the US for dollars after just one phone call pushed the country to the fire of terrorism, he remarked.
“General Musharraf had said that the country would get dollars in return for the war. They got the dollars, but nothing was given to the people,” he added.He said the country’s sensitive air-bases, logistic support and intelligence network was handed over to the US.
The JI chief also criticized the cruel taxation in the country. He said that Rs 375 billion tax was collected from the salaried class, while the feudal and elite class could deposit only Rs 5-6 billion tax.
