Islamabad, October 29
In an apparent policy shift, an alliance of six hardline religious parties in Pakistan has said it prefers the settlement of Kashmir and other disputes with India under the ambit of the Simla Agreement and allayed fears that militants would step up operations in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the Islamists’ resurgence. The alliance - Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s (MMA) - has resolved that the Kashmir issue should be settled through a bilateral approach outlined by the Simla Agreement, its nominee to the post of Prime Minister, Moulana Fazlur Rehman, said.
The MMA constituents believed that policy to resolve all disputes with India through the Simla Agreement should be continued until Pakistan Parliament decided otherwise, he told foreign and local media here.
He also sought to play down fears that the resurgence of the MMA would increase the support base of Pakistan-based militant groups to step up their operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Moulana Rehman, who heads the pro-Taliban Jamat Ulema Islami (JUI) which has emerged as a dominant force in the MMA by winning more seats than its alliance partners in October 10 poll, said the internationalisation of the Kashmir issue could help in bringing awareness but in the end it had to be resolved between India and Pakistan.
His comments are in contradiction to the policy followed by President Pervez Musharraf that the Kashmir issue should be resolved through a third-party mediation. During the past three years of his rule, General Musharraf has denounced the bilateral approach in various international fora.
Moulana Rehman also said that the MMA wanted to follow more balanced policies towards the West. “We want good relations with the western countries and the world community.”
“We will fully combat terrorism in the country (Pakistan). We will not allow our soil for such activities and also for use against any other country,” he said, adding that his party and alliance had condemned the incident of terrorism, including the killing of French engineers in Karachi.
He said such incidents do not serve any purpose.
Stating that “no criminal elements forewarn any government of their action and this equally applies to America,” Moulana Rehman said the MMA would coordinate with the world community for combating international network of terrorism.
He said the alliance wanted to adopt a debt-free foreign policy which was based on Pakistan’s own resources. The business community would be provided concessions and the tax system would be made in consultation with them.
Referring to the constitutional amendments by General Musharraf, he said, “The popular mandate warrants their review. We believe that the amendments in the national interest should be accepted with an open mind and those not in the national interest be rejected. We do not want to discard all these amendments.”
About the introduction of Islamic laws, he said, “We will work within the parameters of the Constitution and pursue the recommendations of the Islamic Ideological Council, which is a constitutional body.”
Replying to a question about religious madarasas, he said the government “arbiterarily” imposed an Ordinance.
Madarasas were not against reformation, he said, adding that the MMA wants good education and teaching of such subjects which are according to the demand of the present era.”
PTI
