LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the absence of a well-formulated foreign policy over the past 10 years has paved the way for the United States to dictate terms and threaten Pakistan.

“We have had no clear foreign policy in Pakistan for the past 10 years. That is why the US is dictating and threatening us,” he said while speaking at a seminar on ‘Internal and external challenges to Pakistan’ arranged by the JUI-F here on Sunday.

He said the country was in dire need of a clear and strong foreign policy to deal with the prevailing challenges.

Maulana Fazl said the US had started mounting pressure on Pakistan at a time when the government was preparing the budget for next year.

“Only peace is the base of human rights. But the efforts in this regard are being foiled in the name of religion,” he said, adding that Pakistan had been turned into an unsafe and war-torn country instead of a welfare state during the past 64 years.

He said a government not able to maintain peace had no right and authority to collect taxes from people. The JUI-F chief said the nation was always victimised and blackmailed by creating an atmosphere of fear and pressure.

He said politicians should learn from past mistakes and should not force the people to ignore them and take a decision about their future on their own.

He appealed to the entire political leadership to practice politics of hope and not of fear.

“We cannot afford a war in the name of rule or power and we should strive to save Pakistan,” he said.