KARACHI: Politicians laud action against extremism
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Jan 13: Leaders of various political and religious parties hailed on Sunday President Pervez Musharraf’s address to the nation and termed it wise and well-balanced.
The chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, supported the stand taken by the President in his address to the nation and described it as well-balanced and best under the prevailing circumstances.
The JUP chief appreciated the bold and clear stand taken by the President on Kashmir, the core issue between India and Pakistan. The President had made it clear to India that it should give up state-terrorism in Kashmir, Maulana Noorani said.
He praised the President’s decision not to hand over 20 people to India as demanded by the latter.
He hoped that the steps taken by the government would help eliminate sectarianism in the country. He, however, pointed out that sectarianism in Pakistan was not as intense as it was in Northern Ireland.
The convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Dr Imran Farooq, in a faxed message to the press, said the announcements made by the President appeared to be nice, but everyone wanted to know whether these steps would be implemented, and how they would be enforced.
He said the President had mentioned the ills of society, but he did not point out the elements responsible for them. Religious extremist groups alone were not responsible for the sorry state of affairs, but the main blame should be laid on those who had harboured these groups, armed them and imparted them armed training and protection.
The Pakistan People’s Party was the only political party whose leaders refused to comment on the President’s speech, saying that their Central Executive Committee would decide its strategy.
The chief of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Afaq Ahmed, termed the President’s speech rational and best under the prevailing circumstances.
He said despite India’s aggressive behaviour, President Pervez Musharraf had made it clear to the world that Pakistan was neither scared of any country nor did it believe in aggression.
He suggested to the government to persuade the leaders of the two rival parties to meet in a congenial atmosphere in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Appreciating the President’s address to the nation, Meraj Mohammed Khan, the General Secretary of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, said the President had taken bold steps to curb religious extremism in the country.
He was of the view that the country needs such steps because religious extremism has brought a bad name to Islam and Pakistan.
The chief of the Awami National Party, Sindh, Qamoos Gul Khattak, appreciated the speech of the President, and said the steps announced by the President should be implemented in letter and in spirit to put the country back on the road to progress.
He expressed concern over the massing of Indian troops on the borders with Pakistan despite measures taken by President Pervez Musharraf to defuse the tension.
The central information secretary of the National People’s Party, Syed Zia Abbas, welcomed the President’s address to the nation, and said it reflected the aspirations of the nation.
