MARDAN, Aug 26: Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that his party will stand by the people of tribal areas if military operation is launched in North Waziristan Agency.

Addressing a conference at Jamia Rabania here on Sunday, he asked the rulers to keep themselves away from the proposed military operation in North Waziristan as it would deteriorate law and order situation across the country.

JUI provincial general secretary MNA Maulana Qasim, district chief Maulana Shujaul mulk, Maulana Sher Ali Shah of Darul Aloom Haqania and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.

Mr Rehman said that flawed policies of rulers and the so-called war against terror during the last 10 years had not only destroyed a big part of the country but also caused nearly $90 billion loss to the nation.He said that efforts were underway to restore Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal (MMA). However, he added that Difa-i-Pakistan Council and Milli Yakjihti Council were main hurdles in restoration of MMA. He said that both the councils could not be alternative to MMA.

The JUI chief said that national institutions and economy were on the verge of collapse owing to wrong policies of the government.

“Corruption and nepotism have penetrated into almost all national institutions like cancer. Important organs of the government are not performing their job efficiently,” he said.

Mr Rehman alleged that people at the helms of affairs preferred personal interests to national interests, leading the country towards bankruptcy and isolation in the comity of nations.

“The international community is not ready to trust us and we are losing our friends,” he said.

He said that JUI was an important political party that had been playing key role in the development and survival of the country.

He claimed that JUI was main hurdle in the way of agents of Jews and liberal forces of the country.

“Why activists of JUI are being arrested and their houses and seminaries raided despite the fact that they continue their political struggle within the parameters of the constitution,” he questioned.

Mr Rehman said that seminaries were castles of Islam. He said that more than 15,000 seminaries across the country were spreading the peaceful message of Islam under the umbrella of Wifaqul Madaris.

The JUI chief said that the US and its allies had broken all records of cruelties and barbarism in the name of ongoing so-called war against terrorism but they failed to define terrorism and extremism.