JI chief opposes military operations

PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Wednesday warned the government against launching military operations in Bajaur and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and asked the rulers and powerful circles to learn from the past experiences of use of force, which resulted in “devastating consequences.”

Addressing the Peace Conference titled “Da Amn Ghag” here, Hafiz Naeem declared that JI would continue to oppose any military operation that involved displacement of civilians as such actions which resulted in the deaths of innocent women, children, elders and even the security personnel who were also citizens of this country.

He stressed that the nation had yet to recover from the flawed policies initiated by former dictator General Pervez Musharraf, which brought destruction to the country.The peace gathering was convened by JI to address the worsening law and order and recent curfews and military actions in several districts of the province.

Hafiz Naeem criticized the reliance on force and demanded an honest evaluation of the outcome of the previous military operations.He announced that JI had entrusted the responsibility on JI’s Central Deputy Chief Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan to have consultation with stakeholders, including political parties and tribal elders, and lead a peaceful protest campaign for durable peace in the province and its newly merged districts. The protest campaign may include sit-ins and a potential march towards the federal capital to press the government and other authorities concerned to talk sense and take the issue seriously, he added.

The jirga was attended by leaders and representatives of all the political parties, tribal elders, former and current parliamentarians, business representatives, journalists and civil society members.

Prominent among them were former governor Shaukatullah Khan, PTI’s provincial minister Aurangzeb Khan, JI leaders Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Inayatullah Khan, Abdul Wasi, Shah Raz Khan and Haroon Rashid, Pakistan People’s Party representative, Akhunzada Chattan, Awami National Party MPA Nisar Baz, Peshawar High Court Bar Association President Aminur Rahman Yousafzai and others.

Criticizing both civil and military leadership, Hafiz Naeem said that instead of addressing core issues, the authorities continued to impose their will on natural resource-rich tribal areas through unconstitutional legislation aimed at exploiting local minerals. “The Constitution clearly states that the people of a region have the first right over their resources,” he said.

He cautioned against attempts to divide the people of the country on ethnic lines - Pashtuns, Punjabis, Sindhis and Baloch - and accused political elites of exploiting national unity during elections while failing to deliver peace and justice. “No one holds absolute wisdom in this country. If we want to escape our crises, the nation must collectively solve its problems,” he argued.

The JI chief spoke about the importance of improving diplomatic ties with Afghanistan. He said that peace in Afghanistan was directly linked to stability in Pakistan. He welcomed the recent diplomatic improvements between the two countries.

However, he criticized the contrasting attitude of policymakers, who were eager to trade potatoes and onions with India but showed indifference towards the sufferings of Kashmiris. “If the Kashmir dispute is unresolved, what exactly are we mediating with India?” he asked.

He maintained that peaceful protest within constitutional limits was the democratic right of every citizen. Referring to the ongoing Baloch march towards Islamabad, he criticized attempts to stop them in Punjab as further marginalizing an already neglected population.In a message to the youth, the JI chief urged them to avoid emotionally charged slogans against the military and instead focus on constructive and goal-oriented activism.