‘Against all traditions’: Fazl condemns attack on foreign climbers

Claims trust must be established with Taliban before setting conditions for peace talks.

PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday strongly condemned the killing of foreign climbers, claiming it was against Shariah and the country’s culture to kill guests.

Addressing media personnel at the JUI-F office, Fazl said the brutal killings orchestrated by the Taliban at Nanga Parbat base camp were against Islamic laws. “The killing of guest climbers is tantamount to abrogating the country’s constitution,” he asserted.

Gunmen in paramilitary uniform overran a mountaineering base camp in the early hours of Sunday and shot dead 10 foreign climbers, including Chinese and Ukrainian nationals, who were resting during a climb up Nanga Parbat, the 9th tallest peak in the world.

Touching on the topic of peace talks with the Taliban, the JUI-F chief said trust should be established prior to setting any conditions for talks. “Attacks and peace dialogue cannot go together,” he added, stressing building trust was the most important part of making the dialogue successful.



Fazl maintained the United States should also restore this trust with the Taliban and other stakeholders prior to setting any conditions for peace.

Commenting on the recent decision to try former president Pervez Musharraf for treason, Fazl warned the move would “open a Pandora’s Box without giving any conclusion.” He added there must be accountability for everyone. “However, before taking any steps we should think about the possible consequences and take extreme measures to ensure new problems are not created for the country,” he explained.

Fazl clarified an earlier meeting with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak did not have a prior agenda. He revealed the chief minister had asked to meet him, and consequently arrived at the JUI-F’s office. Fazl claimed it was tradition to welcome one another and the meeting was nothing more than that, adding the JUI-F harboured no ambitions to become part of the provincial government.

Meanwhile, a statement issued from the Chief Minister House said Khattak visited the JUI-F office on Tuesday morning to discuss bilateral issues faced by the province. The statement also claimed the meeting was nothing more than a ‘welcome meeting’ having no prior agenda.

JUI-F’s parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly Akram Khan Durani along with other senior leaders including Maulana Lutfur Rahman, Maulana Jalil Jan and Israrullah Khan Gandapur were present at the JUI-F office for the briefing.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2013.