Using as war tool: Washington has done greatest harm to polio campaign, says Siraj

JI chief says CIA’s use of Dr Afridi in phony vaccination drive hurt the eradication campaign

PESHAWAR:
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday said the greatest harm to polio campaign in Pakistan has been done by the United States by using it as a war tool.

Addressing the all-Pakistan inter-madaris declamation contest arranged by Majlis Sautul Islam, Siraj said that it was Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) which had done the most harm to polio eradication task in Pakistan by faking polio campaigns for war purposes and using Dr Shakil Afridi as an agent for the purpose.



Siraj said that religious scholars have not done any harm to this troubled program as the US did by using such an important mission to hunt alleged terrorists. He said ulema could play a pivotal role in persuading people to inoculate their children against this crippling disease.

JI chief also said Pakistan was more vulnerable to internal strife, political instability and lawlessness as compared to external threats. He said political issues should also be resolved politically and through dialogue.


“If political forces continued to fight each other instead of resolving issues through dialogue, it could pave way for a third force,” he said, adding that arrival of the third force will damage everyone in the country.

JI chief said western powers did their best to link Islam with terrorism; however, they will fail to achieve this aim.

Siraj said that he will announce his roadmap for Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan in his party’s Karachi program on December 25.

He said that JI will enforce a new education system in the country if it came to power. He said that presently different students are getting education under several education systems; however, his party will enforce a single system across the country. He added that current educational system is creating rifts between people instead of creating a unified nation.

Siraj vowed that JI will put an end to oppressive political dispensation dominated by feudals and capitalists. He said he was not ready to accept a setup where a handful of people get everything while the majority of population is forced to go on empty stomachs.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2014.

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