Political rhetoric: JI chief advises govt to revisit foreign policy

Leader claims that India could never be considered as Pakistan’s friend.

KARACHI: While lauding the decisions made at the All Parties Conference (APC) convened by federal government, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munwar Hasan stressed the need to make concerted efforts to tackle pressing issues, such as drone attacks, foreign policy and negotiations with the Taliban, rather than merely issuing statements.

Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Tuesday, he said, “It is high time for our government to reconsider its foreign policy and strengthen the intelligence network, otherwise we will not get tangible results.” He added that India could never be considered as Pakistan’s friend, therefore, the incumbent government should re-think its policy.

Criticising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the PPP government, he lamented, “It looks like Nawaz Sharif has got the mandate because of his soft corner for India - a country that has started a massacre in Kashmir while Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s government in Sindh has acquired the majority owning to the targeted killings and violence in Karachi.” The JI leader, commenting on the federal government’s decision about targeted operation in Karachi said, “I fail to understand the meaning of targeted or surgical operation. This term has been repeatedly used over the years but has yielded no positive results.” He demanded that action must be taken against the criminals without any discrimination by demolishing the no-go areas in Karachi. “Criminals and extortionists are more powerful than the state because they have political and government backing,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2013.