Afghan war: Jihad ideology misuse caused chaos: Fazl

First agencies run religious campaigns for their purpose and later distance themselves and fight against them

MULTAN: The fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan during 1980s was meant to serve American interests, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said asserting that the misuse of the ideology of Jihad resulted in global chaos. “Due to the western propaganda we had to fight against Soviet Union to serve American interests and now Jihad is given the name of terrorism,” he said. Talking to the media in Multan he said religious scholars of Pakistan are more loyal to the country than any general of Pakistan Army. “Generals claim to be loyal to the motherland…we are more loyal… but we do not want slavery of western masters,” he said. There is no reason of raiding religious seminaries in the war against terrorism, the JUI-F chief said claiming that the intelligence agencies were responsible for creating disorder in the country. “First they (agencies) run religious campaigns for their purpose and later distance themselves and fight against them,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2015.