Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman lauds Zardari India visit

Says the time has come to resolve issues through dialogue and not war.

FAISALABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman has expressed full support for President Asif Ali Zardari’s diplomatic move for strengthening relations with India, terming it as the  right decision in the right direction.

Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, he said that the "environment at the international level has altogether changed and disputes have to be resolved through dialogue, keeping in view, the economic interests as well as the prevailing international scenario."

Rehman also welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s gesture of accepting the invitation to visit Pakistan, adding that, “the time had come that we should realize that war is not the solution of any problem and instead should be resolved through politics, mutual respect, being flexible and accommodating of each other's point of view but not at the cost of national interest."

Talking about his party boycotting the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) proceedings, the JUI-F chief said his party had boycotted the Friday's meeting to register their protest against the intrusion of some NGOs while discussion over the domestic violence bill was under way.

“We have boycotted due to the intervention of some NGOs in the parliamentary meeting which was uncalled for."

However he lauded Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) decision to rejoin the PCNS proceedings.

Earlier on Friday, dozens of civil society activists reached the Parliament House and chanted slogans against the JUI-F chief. Some of them tried to enter the committee room where discussions over the domestic violence bill were under way.

Commenting further on the decision of blocking NATO supply routes, he termed it as a "popular decision" that had made the people of Pakistan very happy, adding that the government now intended to reverse the decision and putting its credibility at stake as a result.

"Now the government intends to undo this decision and resume NATO supply, which would be backed by the parliament which would make the the parliament loose its credibility in the eyes of the people. In such situation, we would not allow the government to use the parliament for an unpopular decision"

Rehman said that reopening of NATO supply routes may create anarchy in Pakistan and result in a “massive reaction from the public".

“We should decide once and for all the main issues facing the country and resolve them, with consensus, in the larger national interest."