SUKKUR, Oct 14: Jamaat-i-Islami Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmed made an offer on Tuesday to act as mediator between the government and militants in the tribal areas and urged the government to stop use of force as a first step towards normalising the deteriorating situation.

Talking to journalists on his arrival at Rohri railway station to start his party’s train march, Mr Hussain said that the United States would never tolerate peace in the tribal areas. It was, therefore, opposing dialogue with tribal people, he said.

Lasting peace could not be achieved without getting rid of the so-called war on terror, which was actually a war of the US. Fighting between Pakistan army and tribal people was eroding people’s confidence in the army, which was dangerous for the solidarity and integrity of the country, he said

Mr Ahmed said: “Neither do we want war with the US nor are we extremists. The US is entering into agreements with India but we are not afraid.”

He claimed that the government had come to power after giving assurances that it would continue former president Musharraf’s policies.

They were acting in the same manner, Musharraf handed over Dr Aafia Siddiqui to the US and the present government was bombing its won people at the behest of the US, he remarked.

Mr Hussain said war against terrorism was a conspiracy aimed at eliminating Muslims and people of tribal areas were being punished for their love for Islam.

He said that the train march was not an attempt to destablise the government it was a bid to draw government’s attention towards people’s problems.

He said that the PPP had turned its back on the promises it had made with people before coming to power. The government should restore Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhary along with other judges to the position of Nov 2, 2007, he demanded.