20 August 2004	Friday	03 Rajab 1425

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PESHAWAR, Aug 19: Chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad has accused the military establishment of serving the interests of the United States. He said that the Pakistan army lacked the capability to counter threats from India and the US.

"This army is not capable of defending the country against Indian or US aggression and its sole objective is to rule over its own people," Qazi Hussain remarked.

Speaking at a seminar here on Thursday, he said that the free world had condemned the US war on terror, while Gen Pervez Musharraf and his companions were supporting the US aggression on Iraq and Afghanistan.

The JI organised the seminar to discuss the state of human rights in the tribal area, proposed agency councils in Fata and the repercussions of the military operation in the South Waziristan region.

Senior provincial minister Sirajul Haq, MNA from Bajuar Agency Haroon Rashid and representatives of other political parties from the tribal area attended the seminar. Denouncing the ongoing military action in the South Waziristan region Qazi Hussain accused the army of having become a tool of the US in the region.

"America got into trouble everywhere in the world, except Pakistan, because our army is obeying dictations from Washington," he maintained. He urged the government to remove all discriminatory laws from the tribal area, including the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

He said that the government was using the FCR as a tool to deprive tribesmen of their basic rights. Opposing the proposed agency councils in the Fata, Qazi Hussain said that NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah had assured MMA leaders that only elected councils would be formed. He urged the governor to honour his words and hold local bodies elections in Fata.

Later talking to journalists, Qazi Hussain condemned the murder of senior cleric Qari Mohammad Noor during interrogation. He said that innocent people were being accused of having links with the Al Qaeda organization.

Mr Sirajul Haq said that the administration in tribal agencies was above the law and there was no system to monitor or check the utilisation of funds. The seminar adopted a resolution asking the government to halt army operation in South Waziristan region, compensate affected families, hold local bodies elections and transfer powers from political authorities to the elected agency councils.