LAHORE: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) have agreed to launch a joint struggle for upholding the supremacy of the Constitution with all out support to the Supreme Court, for holding free, fair and transparent elections under an independent Election Commission and for an end to military operations and US drone attacks.
A four-member delegation of the PTI, led by chairman Imran Khan, called on the JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan at Mansoora on Thursday.
The leaders of both parties discussed the political situation of the country. The meeting was attended by JI deputy chiefs Prof. Khurshid Ahmed, Dr Muhammad Kamal, Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam Saleemi and JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch.
After the meeting, PTI chief Khan told the media that the two parties had decided to foil all conspiracies against the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Supreme Court.
He said that the corrupt mafia was hatching conspiracies against the judiciary. Plunderers had ganged up in the name of democracy and wanted to demolish the Constitution and constitutional institutions, however, the JI and the PTI would counter the evil designs of such elements, Khan said.
The PTI chief slated the election of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf as the Prime Minister and said that the motive was to protect President Asif Ali Zardari’s corruption, adding that the National Assembly had been reduced to an auction house and the MNAs were being won over in exchange for billions of rupees for the sake of ministries. He said that the PTI would not enter into an electoral alliance with a party striving for status quo.
He further said that the JI was the only party that could be trusted, and which stood up for its principles.
In reply to a question, Khan reiterated that the armed forces should not have any role in the formation of the government.
During the day, addressing a press conference, he had said that elections and not the military, are the way out for Pakistan in these trying times.
Khan and Hassan called for setting up an agreed interim government involving all the stakeholders for ensuring free and transparent elections. They demanded that the names of the people killed in drone attacks and military operations should be disclosed so that the people know the facts, said a press statement later issued by the JI. It stated that the leaders called for an implementation of the Supreme Court directives in regard to the missing persons.
The JI chief told the media that the two parties were already in agreement on several points. The PTI was also striving for the establishment of an Islamic government in the country, and both the parties had been apprising the rulers of their weaknesses and had also been educating the masses about the rulers’ misdeeds, he added.
He further said that free, fair and transparent elections were the only way for a change in the country.
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How is I.K any different than current lot then if the can go to any level to get in to power. How can any sane person even sit with JI let alone forming an alliance with them .. Please have a look at this interview of JI's so called ameer Munawar Hussein here.
Mr. Imran said n we quote “1. Jl was the only party that could be trusted, n which stood up for its principles 2. Armed forces should not have any role in the formation of the government 3. Ji n PTI striving for the establishment of an Islamic government in the country” un-quote 1a. Not True; 1b.Their stood principle was against the creation of Pakistan. JI never publicly changed this stance nor offered apology for such past stance; 2a. Pakistan armed forces role to watch dynastic corrupt politicians n system demands their watchful attention till clean politician n political system established in the country; 3a. from 1947 till now government was run by Muslims n on reasonable Islamic principles majority of 180-million people were/are Muslims, they do not need Mullah’s or Talibanic Islamic system. All said/done it’s ironic to see that PTI by joining JI lost its most needed gains.
This is not surprising, and just cements PTI as right wing religious ideologues and pro-Taliban sympathizers.They were never moderates. Munawar Hasan, considers Al Qaeda terrorist leader OBL 'shaheed', the Taliban 'his brothers', which is not different from how IK defends the Taliban. Leave it to your imagination how they both hypocritically interpret 'Islamic government'.
Even earlier PTI's No.2, Ijaz Chaudry, had extensive contacts with far right wing Deoband militant groups, sharing the same stage with pro-Taliban sympathizers, militants like Hafiz Saeed and Jihadist establishmentarian politicians in DPC, including sectarian extremists ASWJ.
Pakistan seems to be dragged into the dark days of Gen. Zia by IK. What a loss.
@Yaqub: And bankrupt all citizens and Pakistan of any moral good that remains. Salams
I dont want sharia. I wont vote for IK now
Power to IK & JI. A true Islamic republic in the making. It's a great union for betterment of Pakistan.
There goes our Last HOPE & there falls Imran Khan, Imran Now will will never get our Votes no votes from us the educated & Moderate . Good Bye
IK has been 'picked' by the Pakistani Armed Forces to take care of that institution in the same way Pakistani Armed Forces had 'picked' Nawaz Sharif in early 90's to fight elections held just after Zia's death. The an express purpose of this strategy was to somehow defeat Late Ms. Benazir. They didn't succeed then nor will they succeed, I hope, now. If they do, Pakistan might turn into a "Tsunami Republic" and we, the well-meaning neighbours, would be worried if that did happen.
It seems the PTI chief in frustration to muster support and to please the Taliban is joining hands with JI - how very sad
@Disgruntled: Good decision. Pakistan should never turn into "Tsunami Republic". If IK wins, that might happen.
i agree with the statement issued by both the leaders. Imran is clean, honest learned and capable and would deliver in a proper way. He is out on the sreets to foil the conspiacies devised by the rulers agaist judiary and chief justice. Otherwise rulers would devastate and destroy the country. Regards. Shahjehan
This is good sign for better Pakistan , both parties are sincere with their nation and country.
@Disgruntled: took the words right out of my mouth. i had submitted a response before but ET chose not to publish it while they publish rubbish comments of everyone else, especially anyone from india. it seems ET is surviving more on indian views than pakistani! but getting back to the point, for once in my life, i was crazy enough to even think of the possibility of supporting a political party. im glad i saw this and now i know that i was crazy to think there was something like a good politician out there
@Syed Faisal:
...and then move off to a far away island.
Especially for the ladies, minorities and minor sects; this is from Imran’s book:
“Sufi Muhammad was released from prison and brokered a deal that saw sharia law imposed on the Swat valley in return for the Taliban laying down their arms. Westernized Pakistanis saw the implementation of sharia as a backward step but all Sufi Muhammad was doing was tapping into a longstanding desire amongst ordinary Swatis for accessible justice”
@Mirza: Not to worry - Imran Khan and Syed Munawar Hassan will agree to Mullah Omar as Chief Emir of Af-Pak con-federation. What more revolution do you want ?
PTI = not as ugly looking JI, so no surprise there.
Very nice decision. afterall, they belong too each other too much. Strategic assets
JI and PTI are natural allies. Both have their strings attached to GHQ and PCO1 Judiciary. They will be allies in next election as well. This new alliance will damage Sharifs in urban Punjab. Good for PPP.
PPP and allies are the only liberal political force left in the country.
This is beginning of the end of Imran.
I was very close to declaring myself an Imran Khan supporter but this little piece of news settles it for me. NEVER. He does not see anything wrong in joining hands with this fascist organisation, the real scum of this country, the kind of people Sir Syed A Khan and Iqbal warned us about. Just have a look at this disgusting interview of the Jammat chief. Is he any better than an illiterate, ignorant savage? Good Imran, good bye forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgihEMOR6c&feature=youtu.be
this what in English is called unholy alliance
Friend of a friend is a friend but this does not apply to Imran..JI and PTI can join forces, JI and PML(N) can join forces but PTI won't join forces with PML(N)....Why? because joining PML(N) means, Imran might get elected and he does not want this miracle to happen..
A so-called revolutionary party talking about change and tsunami is now in bed with the most reactionary rightwing party in Pakistan. In fact it was the JI and Gen Zia who have hurt Pakistan the most. What kind of change and revolution can be expected by an alliance with JI?
For betterment of Pakistan , JI and PTI should forge an alliance.
well said Mr.Khan all other parties batter then PPP and PMLN in any way.
I dont care for JI much. The fact is that they have the distinct honor of thrashing up IK and have over the years trashed many ISF workers as they think they own Uni Campuses. They have a history of opportunism and are easily duped by the GHQ, playing into their hare brained schemes at great political cost. Not a particularly bright bunch. But the facts are. 1. Straight shooting Munnawar Hasan is way better then two faced Qazi 2. JI isnt at least financially corrupt 3. The Punjab branch of JI wants a alliance with PML N which would really put PTI in a spot 4.JI has the street powers, if things slide towards a full on confrontation b/w judiciary and government or massively rigged elections ,their organization and street power will be invaluable. 5.This will cushion PTI from the Far right attacks i.e Zionist lobby, zani and what not. 6. The Urban conservative vote bank that is sysmpathetic to JI but votes PML N may now see PTI as an option.
IK should get in contact with other APDM parties (- N leage) and have a common front for fair elections, the judiciary etc. Nationalist in Balochistan and Sindh should be engaged before the Nooras get to them.
CAUTION - Warning to Pakistani youngsters, especially young ladies, you are being fooled into voting for Mullahs and Jehadis.
Keep your eyes open or be ready to live under Pakistani version of Taliban.
@khalil:
dont worry he is coming back soon inshAllah. the people of pakistan will be drawn to him once again. the man offers the only viable alternative, tested and suceeded, to all other political parties. most educated and rationale people will take him over JI.
As Imran Khan says its not about right or left, liberal or conservative, its about right or wrong, its about PAKISTAN....
Good step PTI....
JI always supported the judiciary by joining hands with Yahya, Zia and Musharraf?
i think the biggest plus point of imran khan is that people with different beliefs and ideologies trust him.....and believe that he may deliver.. conservatives and liberals both are are supporting him..while on the other hand religious extremists and liberal fascists despise him
well CJ took oath from musharaf , JI and IK supported musharaf, where were they when musharaf took over and changed the constitution of pakistan. These guys will do whatever it takes to stable their position. they all follow orders and their master is ISI. real cj was before iftikhar chudary, present judiciary is just a drama.
please invite JUI (fazal ur rehman), too it would be "THREESOME" . . . !!!!
How easily has he forgotten the beating by Jamiat students in Punjab University...can we trust such a person who changes every day and seems to have no memory...its not even laughable now....very disppointed as an ex-PTI supporter....Its time all parties of the Left unite against this unholy alliance.....in the name of a sacred cow called the judiciary....I will vote for someone who promises impeachment of the whole PCO judiciary...who are so shamelessly partisan...
The dawn fall of the PTI begins now . . . .!!!!!
I would prefer PTI blindly anytime over all the status quo (plus dictators) which all the anti-PTI people have started to idealize now...but we are stronger with every passing day.. Alhamdulilah!
PTI zinda bad. Supreme Court must be provided all out support for the eradication of corruption for the establishment of rule of law.
JI anD PTI -> great combination .. i am in favour of it , please bring Mehmood Khan Achakzai also !
classic and modern JI
Although Jamat and PTI have different targeted political audience and supporters,they have almost common viewpoints on all important National and international issues. If they become a political alliance,the diversity of their supporters will actually become their strength. PTI will get a huge share of distress PPP votes, while Jamat will get distress JUI votes , at least in PK. Let see what happen in political front in next few months.
If they want things to improve, exploiting religion for political ends should be banned in this country.. Those who have always suspected Imran Khan of having a soft corner for the Taliban and other such militants would be further alienated from PTI by this news. Imran has a lot to learn before he becomes credible for people who want the rule of law and not the rule of a small elite, whether from the religious Right or the secular Right. The problem is that Imran Kahn does not seem to understand the dynamics or the structure of Pakistani society. The real rulers of this land are the handful of elite who either have power derived from their institutional linkages and/or association or from the enormous wealth in turn derived from either land holdings or corruption or business. How to break the nexus of the wealthy and the powerful, and how to mobilise the people towards this end is the main issue, which none of the parties in power at seem to be able to do. Nor do they have the intellectual and other resources to do so, at least not for the moment. the capacity to do.
Imran showing his true "forward looking" and "non status quo" thinking. If it was not so dangerous for Pakistan I would be laughing and laughing.
Joining hands with JI, a backward, conservative ultra-religious non-secular party with a well known history of supporting, financing and creating Jehadis.
Good!! Make Judiciary more and more Political
... and now the "liberals" will start blasting IK for this. Relax people....they're NOT forming an electoral alliance with JI, NOR are they merging with them. For the ignorant who've not been following them, PTI's made their stance pretty clearly all this time. All they're trying to do now is to stand together behind the judiciary for what's right. Don't see any issue with that at all. I'm not a fan of JI either, but its unbelievable how these so-called, self-proclaimed "liberals" seem to detest anything associated with the word "Islam" in it... e.g. Islamic Welfare State... gosh!
@Ordinary Villager: Add PPP, MQM, PML (all) and ANP to that list
JI n PTI should join forces for good.
@ordinary villager yea bro bring ur musharraf back with his "enlightened moderation"
please do not confuse the already confused liberal fascists pti is striving for a welfare state which will uphold it's islamic values.. ji is more on the far right while pti is more or less a centric party....they have differences in ideologies every pakistani wants to protect the judiciary from this corrupt government....
there is no harm in both parties agreeing on a principled stand..
4 3 2 1 now anti pti strolls will come up with their twisted statements
Sure: "A trustworthy" party. How does Mr. Khan feel about the fact that this party happens to be the torch-bearer of arming youth all over the country and killing the once-healthy environment of universities. He himself was beaten up by youth of the JI's student wing a few years ago. If a popular leader can be manhandled this way, imagine what the Jamiat does to ordinary dissenting students. A party that never delivered to its constituents (barring some exceptions) and that continues to remain obsessed with international issues, rather than real issues of the common man.
I will prefer Dictatorship rather than the Democracy headed by JI, Jamiat and Imran Khan.