December 15, 2008	Monday	Zilhaj 16, 1429

KARACHI, Dec 14: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that though his party supports the government, if it deviates from pursuing the national interest, he will criticise the government in the country’s larger interest.

The JUI-F chief was talking to a group of journalists before addressing a party workers’ meeting here on Sunday.

He had come from Kashmore, where he addressed a by-election rally.

Fazlur Rehman said that the position taken by the government in the war against terrorism was not forceful enough, which was why “everyone was taking us for a ride.”

Later, speaking to party workers he said that through the parliament they had asked the government to send a message of peace and reconciliation to all those tribal people who had fled to the mountains.

He said that if this was done, the army could be withdrawn from the country’s western borders for its deployment on the eastern side.

But US pressure prevented the government from withdrawing the forces from the tribal areas, he said.

The JUI chief criticised the government’s stand on the violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian warplanes in Kashmir and Lahore sectors.

He asked why Indian air force planes were not committing violations before by ‘mistake’, and why were they doing so now, when the situation was already tense.

He said the violation of Pakistani airspace was a warning sign.

The JUI leader advised the Indian leadership to desist from such steps and asked it to play its role in defusing tension.