April 08, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1429

HYDERABAD, April 7: The Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari must take up the issue of blasphemous caricatures published in Danish newspapers and the statement of Germany’s foreign minister to European countries to express solidarity by publishing the same in their media, said Jamaat-i-Islami Secretary-General Syed Munawar Hassan.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Monday, he reminded Zardari of Z.A. Bhutto’s move of declaring Qadianis as minority to protect the Islamic injunctions.

Munawar Hassan expressed shock over the double standard of European countries on the law restraining anti-Semitic or holocaust material to get published but its absence regarding the publication of blasphemous material.

He, however, praised the government measures taken after elections but was aghast over its non-implementation. Regarding the results, he said it was resounding referendum against President Musharraf and was surprised over the still lingering issues despite the year-long struggle, of the judges and the NRO.

The PPP had reached an understanding with the MQM forgetting the May 12 killings Munawar Hassan quoted and held responsible the then government and the MQM for it. The MQM was equally accountable for all that happened during the last nine years, he said and enquired as to what sort of understanding it was as none had the right to forget or forgive murders. Regarding the judges issue, Munawar Hassan said their reinstatement was being confounded to delay the matter.

The foreign policy needs to be looked into as ‘war on terror’ was not Pakistan’s priority rather of America and Pervez Musharraf’s he said and supported the demand of NWFP and Balochistan to withdraw Army from there and let Jirga resolve their problems. He also called on the government to inform the people on confidence building measures being taken with India.

He blamed the government of mishandling the Kashmir issue and maintained the demand to give Kashmiris the right of self-determination in line with the UN’s resolution and asked the Parliament to discuss the issue threadbare.

The JI leader said it was the right of the people to know the details of understanding between the PPP and the MQM. He asked the latter to tender an unconditional apology to masses for its misdeeds.

People were eagerly awaiting decision on three issues pending i.e., eligibility of Pervez Musharraf for contesting presidential election, of missing people, and legality of the NRO.

He said people, civil society, lawyers and the APDM would not accept anything short of the reinstatement of 60 judges of superior judiciary, including Chief Justice, Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry. He called for daily briefing by the government to keep people informed of the progress of 100 days programme, especially reinstatement of judges.

He said the country was in economic crisis and the people suffering from shortage of power, water and flour and called upon the government to announce a relief package to mitigate their suffering.

About repeal of the FCR, he said, pros and cons should be considered and the NWFP government asked to address the issue and submit recommendations to the government. Mr Hassan said Moulana Fazlur Rehman should not have used the name of MMA as it had become non-functional.