LAHORE, Dec 3: Pakistan People’s Party Punjab president Qasim Zia said on Monday a PPP government would not allow jihadi organizations to enter occupied Kashmir.

He said those criticizing PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s statements on Kashmir during her recent visit to India were ignorant of the developments taking place in the world.

At a hurriedly called news conference at his party office, he said those spreading in disinformation were doing a disservice to the country.

While Ms Bhutto, he said, was recognized across the world as a leader of people, these critics were just a bunch of fools. The attempts aimed at making her controversial, he asserted, amounted to a betrayal of the country.

Mr Zia took exception to former president Farooq Leghari’s claim that he had dismissed the Benazir government on account of corruption and that Osama bin Laden had had no role in her ouster.

He said the Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Husain had stated that Osama had provided funds to Nawaz Sharif. The statement, he said, contradicted Mr Leghari’s assertion.

The PPP leader alleged that the Millat Party president was supporting those fomenting trouble in other countries.

Answering a question, he said, said PPP’s Kashmir policy remained unchanged. It still wanted the resolution of the dispute in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.

Pointing out that the Lashkar-i-Taiba had admitted that it was engaged in jihad in 10 countries, he said it should first try to reform Pakistan.

Replying to a question, he said a sedition case should be registered against those who had initiated the ‘bus diplomacy’ and opened trade with India.

In response to a question, Mr Zia said that if voted to power, the PPP would not allow the jihadi organizations to enter the occupied Kashmir.

Asked about the justification for Ms Bhutto’s asking India to urge the US to press the military government to restore democracy, the PPP leader said there was nothing wrong with what the former prime minister had said. He argued that it was like taking up issues with the European Union or the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

He did not agree with the suggestion that India had agreed to hold talks with Pakistan under pressure from the jihadi organizations. In fact, he said, India had yielded to international pressure and pressure from within.

Responding to another question, the PPP leader said that India was not an enemy country.

Provincial information secretary Naveed Chaudhry said that the PPP was in favour of having good relations with all neighbouring countries.