Go into North Waziristan: Karim

Sunni Ittehad Council’s train march stops over in Multan.

MULTAN:

The Sunni Ittehad Council chairman, on Monday, urged the government to launch a military operation in North Waziristan.

Sahibzada Fazle Karim was talking to reporters at the Multan railway station where the party’s ‘train march against blasphemy’ stopped before leaving for Rawalpindi.

He said, “We want an immediate operation against the Taliban and will completely support the government.” Karim said that the Taliban were “terrorists” and had no respect for mosques or mausoleums. “Their only ideology is terrorism,” he said.

During his speech Karim said drone attacks were “against the Shariah”. He said only courts could decide who was a criminal. “No one, suspected of terrorism, can be killed by any person,” said Karim. He said drones attacks were helping the terrorists’ cause.

Earlier on arrival in Multan, he was received by thousands of workers of the Sunni Ittehad Council from all over South Punjab.

Karim told the workers that the purpose of the long march was to demand international legislation against blasphemy. “Pakistan can unite all Islamic countries under the forum of the OIC and draft the legislation,” Karim said. Blasphemy, he said, must come under the purview of the law otherwise it could lead to an increase in terrorism.“Muslims believe in peace but will not let anybody insult their religion,” said the SIC chairman.

He said the SIC would unite the people through the train march. “And they will unite,” he said, “because they don’t want to be labelled as terrorists.” A majority of Pakistanis wants the true teachings of Islam, said Karim.

He criticised the government for remaining silent on the deteriorating law and order situation.

“From Karachi to Quetta, they are more interested in issuing political statements and visiting victims... nothing else. Their silence encourages the extremists to terrorise the populace.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2012.