IMA to play crucial role in eradicating terrorism: Durrani

ISLAMABAD: Former federal information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Tuesday said the first Islamic Military Alliance (IMA) will play a crucial role in restoring peace and eradicating terrorism from Islamic countries, says a press release.

The appreciation of Islamic Military Alliance by China and United States of America reveal that this revolutionary step will help remove negative propaganda about Islamic countries. Talking to Al-Jazeera TV in an interview, Durrani said Islamic Military Alliance has given a clear message to the international community that the Muslims are united against terrorism and will defeat this menace through utmost struggle.

The formation of this military alliance is a strict and straightforward message to the extremists and terrorists that the Islamic countries will not tolerate any terrorist activity at their soils. This is a very positive development in the existing international scenario. This would help in countering conspiracies against Islamic world.

He said that this joint initiative of Islamic countries has negated the international propaganda that Islamic world has some connections with terrorist organisations or involved in patronising these outfits.

To a question, Muhammad Ali Durrani said it cannot be presumed that any Islamic country which is not part of Islamic military alliance at this time will not have any role in fight again terrorism in future as it has been cleared that this alliance is not related to any specific country or sect but purely against terrorism. The purpose of this alliance will be formulation of strategy against terrorism and paving the way for initiating joint efforts to tackle this issue.

The initiatives to be taken under this alliance will be according to the law and guided principles of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and United Nations.

He said this military army of Islamic countries under the leadership of our former chief of army staff will be the sixth biggest army of the world which will provide a platform to suggest policies for countering challenges being faced by Islamic countries.

Pakistan has rendered immense financial and physical sacrifices in war against terror. Inclusion of Pakistan in this alliance will help other countries to learn from the experiences of Pakistan in war on terror.

To a question, former federal minister said that the Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman has given a message of hope to the Islamic world especially Muslim youth. This Islamic military alliance is raising positive image of Islamic countries at international level which will directly benefit Muslim youth especially who are staying in western countries for education and employment purpose, he added.