SWABI, Oct 28: Jamaat-i-Islami’s provincial chief Sirajul Haq has said that if the Swat operation is not stopped immediately, his party will organise a protest march to Islamabad.

Addressing a party workers’ convention here on Sunday, he said the government had launched the operation to appease Washington.

“Using force as an instrument of policy will not resolve the crises. A durable solution can be found only through negotiations,” he said. “There is a dire need for dialogue to work out a way acceptable to all the parties.”

Criticising the homecoming of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Mr Haq said she had returned for accomplishing the US agenda. “Ms Bhutto’s task is to take action against religious institutions. Same is the objective of the US which devises numerous plans for targeting madaris. However, the JI will render all kinds of sacrifices to protect religious institutions which are fortress of our religion.”

Another task given to the PPP chairperson, he claimed, was to handover Dr A. Q. Khan to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ms Bhutto had said in Washington in September that Pakistan a People’s Party government would give the IAEA access to Dr Khan.

“Ulema are also on the target list of the Americans and this task has also been given to the PPP leader,” Mr Haq alleged.

He appealed to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) leaders and workers to give up the practice of issuing statements against JI chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad and focus on strengthening the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for the coming election.

However, he did not say anything about reported differences between the two parties, especially at the lower level.