DR QADRI CONDEMNS BLAIR AND BUSH AS IRRESPONSIBLE

(Islamabad) 15 October 2001

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, Chairman of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, PAT (political wing of Minhaj ul Quran Movement) a leading political party of Pakistan has warned that the world might see an enlarged scale of protests if the number of Afghans being killed in the recent strikes rises, and if Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair continued with their careless and irresponsible statements.

Addressing a press conference at his party’s Islamabad Media Secretariat, he said that by talking of attacking other countries and of the war continuing for ten years, the US President and the British Prime Minister are fuelling already complicated and igniting situation. Planning to stay long in our region shall create problems for the US itself, he added.

The PAT Chairman said that at present, the world community should acknowledge that Pakistan is being sandwiched between the pressure from the US for allying in the war against terrorism on one side and a great concern and anger among the Pakistani hard-liners on the other. As such, Pakistan should be facilitated in combating its internal and external security threats instead of creating an uneasy situation for it, he emphasized.

Dr. Qadri said that Pakistan has proved itself to be a peaceful, prudent and forward looking nation in the current crisis but this should not be taken as a weakness by imposing one-sided decisions on us. As an independent and sovereign country, we have our point of view and we reserve the right to defend our interests at all costs, he added.

Replying to a question Dr. Qadri said that Pakistan Awami Tehreek has not supported the USA but in fact the government of its own country just in line with the large silent majority of Pakistan and has stressed from day one that the term “Terrorism” should be redefined to include the massive human rights atrocities being committed by the state authorities in Palestine and Kashmir.

He mentioned that terrorism is not related to any religion instead it is a global humanitarian problem dealing with which there should be no double standards as being presently envisaged by the world powers.

The PAT Chairman condemned the killing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan and said that instead of pressing on more devastation in Afghanistan, the leading world powers should work for establishing a broad-based government in Afghanistan comprising of the moderate Taliban and all other Afghan groups.

He reminded that the Americans should not repeat the same mistake as they did after the Russian War in Afghanistan and should help Afghanistan and Pakistan out in the rehabilitation of the Afghans and reconstruction of Afghanistan once the war is over.

The PAT Chief is currently on a three-day visit to Islamabad.

Source: http:www.PAT.com.pk

The Revival 2001