HYDERABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) emir Senator Sirajul Haq on Sunday wondered that Prime Minister Imran Khan was busy visiting different countries to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia while Pakistan’s jugular vein was under enemy’s occupation.

Accusing the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government of “sabotaging the country’s integrity”, he urged the PM to give a roadmap to people on the Kashmir issue, and asserted that Indian occupied Kashmir was the biggest issue Pakistan was facing today. “Those who do not consider it important, are not loyal to Pakistan and its ideology,” he added.

The JI chief was addressing his party’s ‘Kashmir March’ on Station Road which emerged from Tilak Incline earlier in the day. Mohammad Hussain Mahnti, Hafiz Tahir Majeed, Zubair Gondal, Amir Ali, Doulat Ram Lohano and others also spoke.

Senator Haq said he had told Pakistan government that a Kashmir war would be fought in Srinagar and Islamabad should not wait for enemy’s army to enter Sialkot.

“Pakistan government says our economy is weak. Geographically India is larger than Pakistan and size of Indian army and economy is bigger than our’s. Whenever Muslims challenged infidelity, it was their faith behind their spirit. People of Kashmir are not fighting for economy but for Pakistan ka matlab kiya, a slogan that forms the basis of their desire to join Pakistan,” he said.

He regretted that the ruling PTI did not consult political leadership to evolve a joint stance on Kashmir thus sabotaging national integrity. “The PM is moving around world for 70 days but didn’t take political parties into confidence; and PTI ministers are hurling abuses at people,” he observed.

He said occupied Kashmir had become a ‘grave’ where people were not allowed to offer Friday prayers for nine weeks.

Paying tribute to Kashmiri leadership comprising Syed Ali Gillani, Yasin Malik, Mir Waiz and Asia Andrabi and others for their determination, Senator Haq said Pakistan was sadly mistaken if it was thinking that the US would mediate between Pakistan and India. He said the US president shook hand with Imran Khan and said he would support him in latter’s next elections. “Donald Trump’s own boat is in troubled waters,” the JI chief remarked, and said Trump had stated that Kashmir was an internal matter of Pakistan and India.

Senator Haq claimed that Pakistan was losing on all fronts though the Islamic world earlier always supported Pakistan on Kashmir. Apprehending that the UN would never support Pakistan, he referred to East Taimour where UN held a plebiscite and separated southern Sudan but the world bodies appeared deaf and dumb when it came to the Kashmir issue. Even Israel’s agents were present in Indian-held Kashmir to sabotage struggle.

The JI leader said non issues were being raised in Islamabad and he was aware of developments taking place behind curtains.

He said PM had himself stated that Kashmiri sisters and mothers were looking towards Pakistan. “But our government is looking towards US and China. God forbids, if we lose the fight [over Kashmir], not a single drop of water will reach four rivers and Pakistan will become a desert,” he said.

He pointed out that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had announced bringing girls from Srinagar and occupy properties there. Kerala’s chief minister said youths would marry Kashmiri girls. “I tell you [Kerala chief minister], you will only be able to reach Kashmiri mothers, daughters and sisters over our bodies”, he declared.

“Pakistani rulers may be having cold feet but millions of Mujahideen (fighters) are with us,” he said, and reminded India that Pakistani nation had taught her a lesson in 1965.

He claimed that [former president General] Pervez Musharraf had paved the way for India when enemy was fencing a 450-km-long border. When Kashmiris talked to Musharraf, he told them that it should be left to him and he would remove it when time would comes. But now, Senator Haq said, the fence had become another Berlin Wall.

He advised Pakistan government to induct people from occupied Kashmiri in the cabinet and Azad Jammu and Kashmir assembly. He suggested it was time to take decision to remove the fence and the entire nation would be with government. “But if it was staging a drama, then people would hold it accountable,” he warned.

“It is nice to see PM is trying to bring about reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran but before that he should be worried about his own home which is burning. Kashmir’s problem is more serious issue than Yemen,” he said.

Criticising PTI’s performance, Senator Haq said 14 months had passed yet government was building ‘Naya Pakistan’. Government could not lift garbage from Karachi’s strees; and jagirdars and capitalists were sitting in assemblies, he observed, and urged youths to revolt against this system because either Pakistan or jagidars could progress.

He said there was no difference between the PPP government in Sindh and PTI’s at the Centre.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2019