JI chief says people of KP, Balochistan can no longer afford military operations

LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has expressed surprise over the announcement of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in the apex committee meeting of the National Action Plan (NAP) without consulting the parliament and political leadership.

Rehman emphasised that the people of Pakistan, especially those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, can no longer afford military operations. The country, he argued, needs political stability rather than military interventions, highlighting the failure of past operations to achieve desired results.

He stressed the urgent need for establishing peace, ending terrorism, and stopping foreign interference. He asserted that these objectives can only be met through the formation of a government with a genuine public mandate. Additionally, he stated that it is the collective responsibility of the Pakistani people to protect citizens and investors from China and other friendly countries working on development projects. He called for unified efforts to create an investor-friendly and peaceful environment in Pakistan.

Rehman criticized the military operations initiated under General Pervez Musharraf (retd), stating that they only created a gulf between the people and security agencies, leading to increased instability and significant civilian and security personnel casualties. He maintained that any further operations would not succeed without the confidence of the people.

He affirmed that Jamaat-e-Islami seeks peace and the eradication of all forms of religious, political, and social terrorism. He suggested that an agreement could be reached for operations targeting specific terrorist threats. To combat terrorism effectively, he emphasized the necessity of activating and enhancing the work of intelligence agencies and the police, as well as strengthening the judicial system.

The JI Emir pointed out that the region is paying the price for the so-called war on terror led by the United States for its own interests. He called for Pakistan and its friendly countries to establish peace in the region through dialogue.