PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq said here on Monday that political uncertainty provided an opportunity to militants to carry out their activities.

Addressing a news conference at Markaz-i-Ialami here, he said that blast inside the mosque at Peshawar police lines was a message that no place was safe. He said that National Action Plan (NAP) was announced after an attack on Army Public School that was lauded by people.

He said that NAP was implemented but not in letter and spirit. Referring to a decree issued jointly by religious scholars from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa denouncing militancy, he said that government could not be run through decrees. “Decrees were issued in the past as well but governments cannot be run through Fatwas,” he added.

The JI chief said that the situation worsened after the incumbent government came into power. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had no right to stay in office if the government could not ensure peace in the country, he added.

Says govt can’t be run through Fatwas

He said that locals could not leave their homes at night in southern districts of the province. He said that former chief minister and his cabinet members used to pay extortion [to militants].

He added that solid steps were not taken to curb militancy and maintain the law and order.

“Police rendered countless sacrifices. Many women have been left widowed. Police now feel abandoned,” said Siraj. He said that waiting for another tragedy was intolerable and the government was bound to restore peace. If the armed forces and the government failed to do so, people would protest outside their houses, he added.

He said that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited many countries but not the neighbouring Afghanistan. “Relations with Afghanistan are not good. Before taking any action [a possible operation against militants inside Afghanistan], there are many things to be done,” he said.

He said that the multi-party conference scheduled for February 9 would be a futile exercise. He announced that JI would hold a peace march on March 8.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2023