October 28, 2001	Sunday	Shaba'an 10, 1422

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PESHAWAR, Oct 27: National Islamic Front of Afghanistan chief Pir Syed Ahmed Gilani has said that despite the sad execution of commander Abdul Haq, Afghan people will continue their struggle for peace and social justice in Afghanistan.

Speaking to national and foreign newsmen, at his residence on Saturday, he said the unwarranted assassination of commander Haq was not less than a shock for him and the moderate Afghans. “He is a martyr, because he went inside Afghanistan to hold talks with moderate people and seek a peaceful solution of the crisis,” Pir Gilani added.

He said commander Haq met him twice, but he (Haq) didn’t let him (Gilani) know about his trip to Afghanistan. “I told him that he must not go to Afghanistan at this moment. But, he was a free man. He went back to his country, but the hardliners killed him.”

Abdul Haq, he said, was a popular commander among the Afghans for his heroic role which he played against the Russian occupant forces after 1980. In a very young age, he rallied Mujahideen in Afghanistan and fought a long war for the freedom of his country, Pir Gilani said.

He said the murder of Haq by Taliban was being condemned by every Afghan. Taliban wanted to keep the war going for their own purpose and opposed a return of peace.

To a question, he said his (Haq’s) going to Afghanistan was no secret, but Taliban proved themselves very narrow-minded by killing him for nothing. “His mission was peaceful. When a legitimate government replaced the fanatics, all criminals will be brought to justice,” he added.

When pointed out that anti-Taliban were being painted as US puppets, he said it was not new for them. “In the past, communists portrayed us as US spies and now hardliners are repeating the same accusations. Religious scholars were among speakers at our two-day conference, how could they tolerate US spies among themselves,” he inquired.