LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) emir Sirajul Haq has rejected the official explanation of the Swat valley terror incident, demanding a judicial inquiry into it.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, he questioned the presence of mortar shells and ammunition in a populated area inside the CTD station, saying the government officials were issuing contradictory statements regarding the incident. He said the Swat terror incident, the second biggest a few months after the Peshawar mosque massacre and days after the National Security Council meeting, had itself raised questions on the government’s ability to handle security. If the rulers could not provide the people with protection, they should go home, he added.

Mr Haq declared it as unfortunate that the governments either had not shown any interest in conducting investigation into the terrorism incidents or the findings were kept secret if there was an inquiry. The people were still unaware of the official findings of the APS (Army Public School) tragedy, he said, adding the only inquiry which was made public so far was conducted by Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Meanwhile, the JI chief made a telephonic call to Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, giving him Eid greetings. He also conveyed good wishes to the people of Afghanistan and prayed for the peace and prosperity in both the countries.

Haq highlighted the need of strengthening cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan for establishment of peace, linking it to the prosperity of the entire region. He said both the nations had been connected with each other for centuries through the common bond of religion and geography. The development in Pakistan and Afghanistan and prosperity of the people of two countries could only be possible if the governments succeeded in establishing peace and eradicating the menace of terrorism, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2023