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Published 23 Oct, 2011 08:09pm

JUI-F asks government: Revisit foreign policy and war on terrorism

PESHAWAR, Oct 23: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl has asked the government to revisit the country's foreign policy and its role in the ongoing war against terrorism.

A resolution adopted by the party at a public meeting here on Sunday urged the government to implement “at the earliest” the parliament's resolution on national security and show respect to the parliament and its decisions.

A large number of JUI-F workers attended the meeting held under the title of 'Mufti Mehmood Conference' at Shah Tamas Stadium. JUI-F provincial leaders lauded the politics of late Mufti Mehmood, father of the incumbent party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, at the day-long gathering.

They said that the country had experienced problems because of siding with the US in its war against terrorism.

The government should revise the foreign policy and make changes to protect the national interest, they added.

The speakers urged political and religious parties to forge unity to amicably overcome the challenges faced by the country owing to armed conflict in the tribal areas.

They said that government should take measures to fulfil the decisions of the recently held All Parties Conference (APC), which, they added, provided the best way out to it to protect the country's interest and serve its people.

Through a unanimously adopted resolution, the participants of the conference demanded of the government to take effective measures to end American drone attacks in tribal areas.

The resolution termed those attacks against sovereignty of the country, challenging its territorial integrity. Expressing solidarity with people of Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the conference asked army to take concrete measures to stop drone attacks.

The participants of the conference assured army of active assistance in case of any eventuality of foreign aggression. They also demanded end to the country's reliance on foreign loans, observing that self-reliance was imperative for protecting sovereignty.

The JUI-F leaders stressed the need for utilising the natural resources of the country to effectively tackle its economic woes.

Addressing the conference, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that imperialist forces wanted to destabilise Pakistan by accusing it of siding with Taliban. He, however, warned them against undertaking any 'adventure against Pakistan' in the name of taking on Taliban.

“Pakistanis as a united nation will stand firm together to foil such nefarious designs,” he added.

Mr Rehman said that the West wanted to impose its agenda on the Muslim world, using democracy as a tool to achieve its objectives.

He, however, said that his party had always used democratic path for enforcing Islamic laws in the country.

He added that his party would continue its struggle.

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