LAHORE: The Mumbai attacks issue is raised again by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif himself and the explanations he was offering were creating more problems for him and his party, says Jamaat-e-Islami emir Senator Sirajul Haq.

Addressing the JI central executive at the party’s headquarters, Mansoora, on Monday, he said it would have been better for Nawaz to admit his mistake.

Haq said the nation fully knew that Nawaz was a “close friend” of Indian Premier Narendra Modi.

However, he said, nobody expected that the man who had been the prime minister of Pakistan thrice, would make such an irresponsible statement concerning national security that would not only land him and his family in trouble but also create problems for the nation and the country.

Statement needs to be probed into, says Fazl

He said at a time when the country was under great pressure at the international level, the political leadership should be very careful while speaking on sensitive national issues.

Haq thanked the people, especially the Lahorites for “thronging” the Minar-i-Pakistan grounds and making the MMA public meeting last evening a “great success”.

He said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal was the true representative of the nation’s aspirations and sentiments.

The JI chief said the “agents of secularism colonial powers” were upset over success of MMA public meeting that had raised the morale of the “Islamic forces”.

He expressed the hope that the alliance would get more public support in the days ahead.

JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch, who holds the same office of the MMA, lauded the alliance workers for making the event successful by their hard work within a short span of time.

In a statement, he said the 2018 polls would be a decisive moment for the nation, and instead of taking “emotional decisions”, the nation should make right choice by avoiding group politics, biases and sectarianism.

FAZL: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Sharif’s statement on Mumbai attacks should be probed into to see what he said, and what he did not, says Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman here on Monday.

In a brief chat with the media outside the Services Hospital, where he had gone to inquire after Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, he said that “(commenting on) sensitive issues that have implication for the state, should be avoided by all”.

Since Nawaz Sharif had been three times prime minister of the country, his statement should be taken seriously and properly investigated.

To a question regarding possibility of an electoral alliance of JUI-F with the PML-N, he said: “Our alliance is now only with the Muttahida Majils-i-Amal (MMA). But seat adjustments can be made with any party, including the PML-N.”

The Maulana termed the MMA’s Sunday rally in Lahore a success, saying it proved that only the JUI-F and the MMA could hold such big rallies in the country.

QADRI: Dr Tahirul Qadri, chief of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) which has filed a petition with the Lahore High Court for action against Nawaz Sharif, has demanded that all elected houses of the country pass resolutions condemning the ex-premier’s remarks.

He alleged that the statement proved “Indian investment was behind the win of the PML-N in 2013” and that his dismissal shocked the “foreign benefactor”.

He called for unity among the nation to check the way of a new “Mujeeb”, a reference to Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman.

SAEED: Emir of banned Jamaatud Dawa Hafiz Muhammad Saeed alleged that Nawaz Sharif was advocating the Indian stance and that “pro-India” rulers were the main hurdle in the way of freedom struggle of Kashmiris.

He alleged that the ex-prime minister was attempting to damage national security for his personal interest.

WARDAG: Tehreek-i-Istiqlal President Rehmat Khan Wardag said the nation honoured Nawaz by electing him thrice as prime minister but he was creating problems for the country and its 220 million people for his personal interests.

He said the disqualified premier’s attitude reflected his thinking that if he could not come into power, there was no need for democracy in the country and even the existence of the homeland.

He regretted that Mr Sharif chose to speak on certain national issues only after his disqualification.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2018