June 4, 2002	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22,1423

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ISLAMABAD, June 3: Speakers at a seminar have warned the government against striking any agreement, which is tantamount to retreating on the national stance on Kashmir, or which could bring the freedom struggle of the people of Kashmir to an end.

The speakers of the seminar, organized by the Jamaat-i-Islami here on Monday, included JI Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Pakistan Muslim League (N) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Gen (retd) Mirza Aslam Baig, former ambassador Dr S. M. Qureshi, JI Islamabad’s Chief Gul Andaz Abbasi and Punjab JI Chief Hafiz Mohammad Idrees.

The JI leaders announced that their party would organize seven seminars in various cities of the country before holding a big public rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan on June 16 to demonstrate to the world that the nation was united and was not ready to give up its stand on the Kashmir issue.

The JI chief said the nation would not leave its armed forces alone in the event of an attack by India, but it asked the army whether it was going to accept the role of an army that was subservient to US designs or it would assert itself as what he called an independent Islamic army.

He criticized banning the Lashkar-i-Tayyaba and the Jaish-i-Mohammad and arresting Hafiz Mohammad Saeed.

Mr Ahmed said: “I will be (the) first to lay down my life whenever called for the cause of Kashmir, but will never allow anyone to compromise on this issue.”

Raja Zafarul Haq of the PML (N) warned that if Gen Musharraf resorted to any compromise on Kashmir, his ways would be separated from those of the nation.

He asked Gen Musharraf why he was surrendering to every threat from the West and India on the principled stand on Kashmir, which had been recognized by the United Nations, the European community, the OIC and other international forums as a disputed territory.

He also asked as to why those, threatening Pakistan against infiltration into Kashmir, were not noticing the atrocities that more than 600,000 Indian troops had been committing against the innocent Kashmiri Muslims.

Gen Mirza Aslam Baig said Pakistan was under tremendous pressure under an international conspiracy to give up its stance on Kashmir and discourage the spirit of jihad developed over the years.

He remarked that there would be neither a conventional nor an unconventional war with India, since India knew that Pakistan, despite being smaller in numerical strength of its army, was far ahead in nuclear, missile and airborne-attacking capability.

He advised Gen Musharraf to ensure fair and free polls in October and handover power to whichever party emerged victorious.

Dr S. M. Qureshi called upon the government and political leaders to mobilise world opinion against the Indian hegemonistic designs.