MINGORA: Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah on Monday insisted a ‘Jewish lobby’ disguised as Muslims was behind terrorist activities in the world, while the terrorism-sponsoring states had become superpowers.

“Muslims are not terrorists. The present terrorism is sponsored by a Jewish lobby in the guise of Muslims,” he told lawyers during a Swat District Bar Association function in Swat.

Khursheed Shah said it was PPP leader and Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who strengthened the ‘broken and defeated’ Pakistan after the fall of Dhaka by getting the 1973 Constitution unanimously passed by parliament.

Opposition leader insists Muslims not terrorists, terrorism-sponsoring states have become superpowers

He said military dictator Ziaul Haq later suspended the Constitution weakening the country by dividing the entire nation in groups along ethnic and religious lines.

The opposition leader said it was the PPP government, which made parliament independent by minimising the president’s powers.

“We, the PPP, gave identity to the Pakhtuns and people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Neither a dictator nor his heirs can subdue us,” he said.

Khursheed Shah said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should address the country’s real issues like poverty instead of announcing motorway and metro bus like projects valuing billions of rupees.

“Even the Prime Minister’s Kissan Package is meant to deceive poor farmers, who are getting poorer day by day. It’s unfortunate that the government has increased fertiliser prices,” he said.

Former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, who was also in attendance, said the elite class of Punjab hadn’t supported the idea of Pakistan’s creation.

“Ironically, Bengalis, who supported the cause of Pakistan and struggled for it, were declared traitors,” he said, adding that some state intuitions, mullahs and media tried to break the country.

Kaira said military dictator Ziaul Haq shattered the federation and breached the Constitution to stay in power.

He called for national unity for progress and prosperity.

Swat deputy commissioner Mehmood Aslam Wazir later briefed the opposition leader on the ravages of the recent earthquake in the region and the ongoing relief and rehabilitation operations.

BUDGET-MAKING PROCESS: Transparency and people’s participation should be ensured in the budget-making process at the district level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This call was given by participants of a meeting organised by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) here in Alpuri on Wednesday.

In attendance were district officer (finance and planning), officials of district administration, district naib nazim, district councillors, tehsil nazims, village council chairman, representatives of civil society organisations, elders, political workers, journalists and education department officials, said a statement issued here.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2015