October 9, 2003	Thursday	Sha’aban 12, 1424

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PARIS, Oct 8: Maulana Samiul Haq, leader of his own faction of the JUI, has said that if President Gen Pervez Musharraf wants to remain in power “he’ll need the support of the Taliban”.

Interviewed at Akora Khattak by French newspaper Le Figaro for its Wednesday’s issue, Maulana Samiul Haq said the reports in the world press about the regrouping of the Taliban in Pakistan along the country’s western border to infiltrate into Afghanistan were “pure and simple propaganda”.

He also refuted the reports that the Taliban were enjoying the support of Pakistan religious parties like that of his in particular and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in general.

He said: “This propaganda is carefully orchestrated by President Musharraf and the Americans. For they both have an interest in continuing to keep the pot boiling in the frontal zones with Afghanistan. Indeed, President Musharraf needs the Taliban because that is what permits him to remain in power, for it allows him to affirm that only he can be counted on to destroy them in Pakistan.”

As for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has accused him and his party of being behind the Taliban that have been threatening the stability of his government, the JUI leader explained “by saying that, President Karzai is simply attempting to cover his inability to govern and to allow the return of peace and security to Afghanistan”.

Asked as to whether the resistance by the Taliban in Afghanistan would prove to be a threat to the political stability of Pakistan, by giving a political boost to Islamic extremists in the country, Maulana Samiul Haq retorted: “The activity of the Taliban in Afghanistan will have no direct impact on Pakistan. Rather, it’s what the Americans are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq that will reinforce the resentment felt by Muslims.”