By IANS,
Islamabad : Differences of opinion among the four power centres in Pakistan have come in the way of resolving the country’s outstanding issues, a top cleric who plays a key political role says.
Speaking on a TV programme, Fazl-ur Rehman, the head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), said the clash between the presidency, the prime miniter’s office, the Supreme Court and the Army Headquarters was the main reason why Pakistan had failed to resolve its core problems, Online news agency reported.
Saying that parliament was the best forum to find solutions to any issue, he slammed the country’s leadership for taking decisions in the behest of other countries. The reference was to the ongoing military operation against the Taliban in the North West Frontier Province that many believe was launched after mounting US pressure.
“The war against terrorism is the US’ war, and Pakistan had nothing to do with this,” Rehman said, adding that Pakistan “has become a tool of US and is serving to please its boss”.
Contending that nobody would endorse terrorism or a state within state, he said the decision to send the military into action in the NWFP’s Malakand division was totally wrong and was not suitable in the prevailing circumstances.
Rehman, who is also the general secretary of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal religious alliance, also said that Pakistan was an Islamic state and no one should oppose it being governed by Islamic rules.
“In the constitution, Pakistan has been declared an Islamic state and it has been declared that all rules and laws would be in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah,” he maintained.
Responding to a question on the increasing suicide attacks in the country, Rehman said the major reason for this was the 2007 security forces’ assault on Islamabad, for which then president Pervez Musharraf was responsible.