MULTAN, June 7: Army alone cannot even defend itself rather than safeguarding the geographical boundaries of the country.

This was stated by Jamaat-i-Islami Naib Amir Prof Ghafoor Ahmad while talking to journalists here on Friday.

He stressed that the military leadership should realize the gravity of the situation and pay attention to its professional responsibilities instead of indulging in the civil affairs.

“The military should keep in mind the bitter experience of fighting a war in East Pakistan without the backing of Bengali people,” he added.

Prof Ghafoor said the military bureaucracy had developed a lust for power.

He urged the political parties to compel the military leadership to quit the civilian and political affairs and pay full attention to the duties they were supposed to do on borders.

He said the gulf between military and the people had been growing wider with the establishment of military colonies in every town of the country and induction of a large number of retired and serving military officers in civil services.

“In fact the army has become a party against the rights of the civilian population of the country,” he claimed.

He said the present rulers were under tremendous pressure of America and its allies. Gen Pervez Musharraf paid a heavy cost to win over the American support by making drastic changes in the foreign policy. But, still the American tilt was towards India.

He claimed that the US had sold arms worth $1 billion to India recently. He said the Indian leadership not only claiming that Kashmir was its integral part but had started laying claim to Azad Kashmir.

Prof Ghafoor claimed that the American leadership had asked Nawaz Sharif for logistic assistance to attack Afghanistan during his second term in the office but he refused them for being an elected representative of the country. But Gen Musharraf showed weakness and succumbed to the pressure.

He said the government was bringing about failure to its own installed system of district government, especially in the districts where Nazimeen did not cooperate with the government in the presidential referendum.

The professor urged politicians living in exile to come back and fight their cases to prove their innocence and contest elections.

He hinted that the Jamaat would agree to election adjustment with other political parties.