LAHORE, March 3: Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad declared on Monday that the Jamaat-i-Islami was not a terrorist outfit despite the fact that four main Al-Qaeda activists, including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, had been arrested from the houses of its activists.

“Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is the first important suspect arrested from the house of a JI activist after Sept 11. But the JI is a religious force and not a terrorist organization,” he said while replying to questions at Meet the Press of the Lahore Press Club.

Although four out of the 22 most-wanted people had been arrested from the houses of the JI activists, it was still a responsible politico-religious party, the minister said, adding “there could have been some misunderstanding.”

“They (the JI) are holding demonstrations, but we are trying to protect them from any trouble. We want to keep everybody along but they must also consider government’s limitations and show responsibility,” he said.

He said Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was not a small fish and the government had decided not to hide his arrest. This was against the limitations of the government, which could not disclose many events.

“Up to this time he is still in Pakistan and being interrogated jointly by the FBI and local agencies,” he said.

To a question on Pakistan’s position on Iraq, he said Islamabad was against war on Baghdad, but it had to keep its interests supreme. “We will follow the UN Security Council’s decision on Iraq, but so far as the issue of our vote is concerned we will adopt the wait and see policy and take a right decision at the right time,” he said.

Against an international consensus on attacking Afghanistan after Sept 11, he said the world stood divided over the Iraq issue. Countries like Russia and France had taken different stand, but Pakistan had to see whether they would stick to it or not. “We will have to handle the issue sagaciously and not emotionally,” the minister said.

Mr Ahmad said the entire Islamic world was feeling the impact of the situation in Iraq, but the position of Pakistan and Syria was the most critical. No Islamic country had taken any stand on the issue and “I have written a letter to the OIC to convene information ministers to discuss it,” he said.

When his attention was drawn towards a statement by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain that the government would adopt the Iraq policy while keeping in view the opinion of the people, Sheikh Rashid said he (Chaudhry Shujaat) had given a ‘political statement.’

“The government has its own limitations and wants to adopt the wait and see policy. And we will safeguard the interests of the country even if we will have to sacrifice our politics for it,” he said.

The information minister said the government would surely take the opposition into confidence over the Iraq issue.

He clarified that the US had asked Pakistan neither for any bases nor airspace for attacking Iraq. Pakistan had provided it with only a limited air and sea space for rescue operations during the Afghan war, he added.

When asked why Christina Rocca had not met the prime minister during her recent visit to Pakistan, the minister said there was nothing fishy about it. Both the prime minister and the president had good working relations, he said, adding the Pakistan army and the US were a reality and everybody must accept this.

To a question on Collin Powell’s recent statement on Kashmir, he said doors of negotiations should always be kept open. He also said he was seeing the resolution of the dispute in three years, perhaps not in such a way as Pakistan or India wanted it to be. “We should remain mentally prepared for this.”

Sheikh Rashid said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had been playing on the front foot on the Kashmir dispute. Many people in Pakistan wanted to get rid of the dispute and did not consider it a jihad. After September the 11th, India failed to portray Kashmir freedom struggle as a terrorist movement and to raise tempers in America against it because of Pakistan’s policies.

He said Pakistan was not going to recognize Israel because its recent links with India were a source of concern for it. “We need to watch the links with open eyes,” he said.

When asked whether the PPP (Patriots) would be given more ministries in the federal and Punjab governments, the minister said they should be given more portfolios as this would at least eliminate one party (PPP). He regretted the words when pointed out by a reporter.

He said initially the PML-Q wanted to form government with the help of the MMA, but it did not cooperate. Afterwards the PML-Q approached the PPP (Patriots), which had played a very important role in the establishment of the democratic institutions.

According to the minister, the floor-crossing clause of the constitution was held in abeyance because none of the party had managed to win majority in the assembly. Those who took benefit of it showed more responsibility and allowed the system to run, he said.

He said Asif Zardari and Jahangir Badr were not political prisoners, but were facing NAB’s and other cases.

The minister said the LFO could be discussed at an appropriate time. Everybody had contested the election under it, he believed, saying this issue had almost been resolved. However, he said the MMA did not cooperate during the government formation talks with Chaudhry Shujaat Husain. Had this been done, there would have been more political stability in the country, he said.

He said Nawaz Sharif and his family had opted to live in Saudi Arabia. The government had allowed Shahbaz Sharif and his family to go to America on humanitarian grounds. He said a decision on the Sharif’s application to go out of Saudi Arabia would be considered in the light of law, he said.

Sheikh Rashid said it was easy for him to work with Mir Zafrullah Jamali than with Nawaz Sharif because the former “does not complain about news in the print media. “Jamali does not whisper because it plays a major role in the destruction of governments,” he said.

To a question on Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, the minister said he used to call every assembly a product of rigging in which he did not sit. The present assembly would complete its term because all the agitators were sitting in it, he added.

He said Nawabzada had opposed the local government elections, but allowed his relatives to contest. “In my view an honorary chair should be placed in the assembly for him,” he said.

He said during its first 100 days the government had reduced the power tariff, though, to a small extent. The prime minister would soon announce another relief package for the people.

The minister said state policies could not be changed with the change in faces. Those who had opposed Gen Pervez Musharraf’s Afghan policy were now praising him.

Replying to a question on the PTV policy, he said he could not permit its women performers wearing veil, but was ready to allow an independent 24-hour religious channel. He objected to some PTV advertisements, but said it was depended on them.

He said he had allowed the PTV to break news without seeking any prior permission. The minister added that the PTV would soon show an interview with an important American figure.