LAHORE: PPP Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari has urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to allay concerns of political parties which have expressed reservations over the 21st Amendment, saying the nation cannot afford divisions in its ranks at this critical time.

“After the Peshawar tragedy all political parties were united to fight against terrorism and this unity must not be damaged at this juncture,” Mr Zardari said while discussing the matter with PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Pervaiz Elahi, Moonis Elahi and Salik Husain who had called on him at Bilawal House here on Saturday.

Also read: Establishing military courts has saved future generations: Zardari

The Jamaat-i-Islami, JUI-F and JUI-S have opposed the 21st Amendment and objected primarily to provisions in the law that allow taking up only the terror cases committed in the name of religion and sect.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also criticised parliament for allowing the setting up of military courts.

Asif Zardari said: “It is the duty of the PML-N government to allay the concerns of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others over the 21st Amendment. The war against terror cannot be won without unity. The political parties have taken difficult decisions for peace in the country and they must fully support the initiative to curb terrorism.”

He said: “We have voted for setting up military courts with good intention because we want eradication of terrorism from the country.”

Chaudhry Shujaat said the whole nation was supporting the army in the war against terrorism. “Despite differences, we supported the government for the sake of the national interests,” he said.

Aitzaz Ahsan has said that JI chief Sirajul Haq, Fazlur Rehman and JUI-S chief Samiul Haq had endorsed the setting up of military courts and other proposals at the All-Party Conference.

“Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had proposed to get the signature of the participants of the APC on a proposed draft of National Action Plan which I opposed saying he should honour our words. Surprisingly these leaders backed off from their words after the passage of the 21st Amendment,” he said.

But the religious parties say that they don’t have much objection to military courts, but the definition of terrorism must not be confined to religion and sect.

“We’d made it clear to the prime minister in the APC that we’re not against military courts in the present situation, but the definition of terrorism must not be confined to religion and sect,” said the President of Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Prof Sajid Mir.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2015

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