JI for Jehad against Kargil betrayal

The News LAHORE: The Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday called for Jehad against Nawaz Sharif's government for betraying the nation by signing the Washington accord on the Kashmir issue. "Nawaz and Pakistan can't co-exist," JI Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad told tens of thousands of his party workers, who staged the biggest anti-government protest since freedom fighters pulled out of occupied Kashmir.

"Nawaz has to quit," the mammoth crowd roared as Qazi asked the nation to stand up as a sovereign nation and reject the Washington Accord, Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration signed by few traitors. "Let's celebrate our Independence Day next month as an absolutely sovereign and independent nation," he told the crowd, which gathered outside the Punjab Assembly after marching on The Mall from Nasir Bagh.

The rally failed to attract the million people the JI had hoped to muster but the 50,000-strong protest by supporters shouting "Down with America" was by far the biggest of a series of scattered opposition-backed demonstrations.

Qazi Hussain Ahmad accused the prime minister of being autocratic and said the July 4 withdrawal pact with Clinton was unforgivable. "It is imperative for the resolution of the Kashmir issue and for the safety and solidarity of the country that Nawaz Sharif should be removed from the office of prime minister," said a mock "charge-sheet" read to the crowd chanting slogans and reciting Kalima. Qazi said it was time to tell the US its New World Order was not acceptable to us as it was only "a new world disorder aimed at depriving Muslims of their independence and sovereignty". The JI chief also warned the United States not to mount another attack on Osama bin Laden. "This will not be in the interest of America. They will invite great danger," he said. He said the US was playing a dangerous game and will suffer ultimately.

Addressing the West, Pakistan's biggest Islamic party chief said the Muslims were not terrorists or intolerant . "They only want to live with peace and justice, and will not allow any state terrorism in their territories," he said. He said Islam was a religion of peace and justice for the whole mankind. Hitting out at the government for its Kashmir policy, Qazi said Nawaz had committed "an unforgivable crime by showing cowardice against a besieged army in Kashmir".

"It was shameful for the head of the only nuclear Muslim state to accept becoming a satellite state of India despite having a historic and tactical edge over the enemy," he said. He reminded the rulers that peace could not be achieved by begging or avoiding the battlefield. "History shows that only those nations who always remained ready for a war lived in peace," he said. He said the threat of a war was not over even after the Washington accord.

Qazi pointed out that the spirit of Jehad and allegiance to the Almighty were what distinguished Muslims from non-Muslims and give them a vital edge over their enemies. He accused Nawaz Sharif of insulting the spirit of Jehad by equating it with the war hysteria and causing an atmosphere of cowardice through state-owned electronic media.

Qazi accused Nawaz Sharif of betraying and bypassing the nation, his cabinet and parliament on a vital decision. He also censured Nawaz Sharif for refusing an unconditional support by opposition and other political parties on the issue. Qazi said the time had come to dislodge Nawaz Sharif from Islamabad.

He cited numerous "crimes" of Nawaz Sharif committed over the last two and half years including subjugating parliament, president, chief justice and the COAS, and his failure to keep electoral promises of uprooting corruption, recovering plundered national wealth and introducing austerity in national character. He also lashed out at the government for its failure to revive economy and throw off the begging bowl. Qazi said the only way to avert national destruction was to throw off the present dishonest rulers and bring in a pious leadership.

Qazi appealed to all political, religious parties and organisations to unite by shunning all political, religious and sectarian differences for salvaging the independence of the nation which, he said, was in grave danger. He asked PPP and PML to rise on the occasion for the sake of national integrity.

He said the movement against the government had started and its ultimate destiny was a "glorious Islamic revolution". He said now it was on the people to step up this movement and make it a success. Qazi announced that soon his party would hold similar rallies in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Quetta before giving a final call for a march towards Islamabad.

Qazi said his party stood for love, justice and peace all over the world. He said his party was willing to extend friendship to India, provided it granted the Kashmiris their independence. He urged the Lahorites to reject the Indian culture imposed on them under a conspiracy. He also appealed to the people to stop watching Indian movies. Qazi accused the administration of obstructing the rally and announced his party would observe a countrywide protest day next Friday against the government attitude. Later, a JI spokesman alleged the police tried to sabotage the rally by preventing the participants and workers of different cities from coming to Lahore. He alleged a large number of buses were stopped and JI workers were off-loaded in a number of cities. He said police hijacked party buses in Sahiwal just when they were about to leave for Lahore.

Qazi seeks all parties' support: Jamaat launches 'new phase' of anti-govt drive

Dawn LAHORE, July 25: Alleging that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had committed 'unforgivable crimes' signing of the Washington statement being the latest, Jamaat-i-Islami amir Qazi Husain Ahmed on Sunday launched "a new phase" of anti-government movement.

He appealed to workers of all other parties, including the PPP, to work under his leadership to oust the rulers and avert dangers to the integrity of the country.

Addressing participants in a 'million-man march' who had come to Lahore from various parts of the Punjab, the JI leader declared that the movement would continue till it reached its logical end -- a magnificent Islamic revolution in the country.

The rally started from the Nasser Bagh to the Charing Cross where a stage had been set up for speakers. From the Charing Cross to the Regal Chowk, people could be seen on both sides of The Mall as well as service roads.

Qazi Husain Ahmed joined the participants at the Charing Cross.

Journalists had also come from Islamabad and other cities to report the event.

Heavy police contingents had been deployed to avoid any untoward incident. Punjab PPP President Rao Sikandar Iqbal and MPA Muazzam Jehanzeb Wattoo were also present.

In his hour-long speech, punctuated with slogans, the JI chief listed a number of 'crimes' Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had committed after returning to power for the second time in Feb 1997.

"Now Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan cannot go together. He will have to quit".

He said Mr Sharif's tenure was the blackest of all periods in the past and the Washington declaration was the culmination of all 'offences' of the prime minister.

Qazi Husain said his party would hold rallies in other important cities like Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi. Thereafter, he said, he would give a call for a march on Islamabad where the people would also stage a sit-in.

Lashing out at the prime minister for deciding to withdraw Mujahideen from the Kargil heights despite the fact that they were in very advantageous positions, Qazi Husain said Mr Sharif had lost the war of nerves. He said he buckled under the Western pressure at a time when India was not in a position to go for a war against Pakistan without risking a full-scale revolt in occupied Kashmir.

The JI leader said the Washington declaration served Indian interests and stabbed the freedom fighters in the back. In his opinion, acceptance of the sanctity of the Line of Control would mean acquiescing to the division of Kashmir which was simply not tolerable. He said Pakistan and Kashmir were inseparable and as long as Kashmir was not liberated from India's occupation, the people of Pakistan could not regard themselves free.

Reiterating that the Kashmir issue would never be resolved through bilateral talks between India and Pakistan as New Delhi continued to insist that Kashmir was its integral part, the Jamaat leader said it was a great injustice that Mr Sharif had 'bilateralized' the issue through the Washington communique.

He said Mr Sharif had ignored the sacrifices of 75,000 Kashmiris for the independence. He said he would be held accountable for the lapse on his part. Similarly, he said, Mr Sharif could not be forgiven for accepting Kashmiri Mujahideen as 'intruders'.

Qazi Husain said Mr Sharif had insulted the army as an institution by forcing former COAS Gen Jehangir Karamat to resign.

He also criticized Mr Sharif for converting the federal parliamentary system into prime ministerial system, reducing parliament to the status of a rubber stamp, storming the Supreme Court building and failing to promote industrialization or repay dues to co-op scam victims.

In his opinion, it would be wrong to assume that the possibility of a war between Pakistan and India had been averted.

"Subservience to the mighty cannot avert a war. Preparedness for war is the best way to ward it off".

He said his party did not want war with India. Instead, it was in favour of good neighbourly relations with India but it would not be possible unless the Kashmir dispute was resolved.

He appealed to the people to boycott Indian films and remove video shops.

Punjab JI amir Hafiz Muhammad Idrees asked the PML workers to join hands with the Jamaat. He said the people now controlling the PML had nothing to do with the party and a revolt against them was justified