PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Awami National Party legislators in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday traded charges when the former termed Osama Bin Laden a hero of the Muslims and the latter dubbed him a symbol of terrorism. Both the JUI-F and ANP reiterated their commitment to continue sacrifices till the achievement of their respective goals. Terming killing of bin Laden as martyrdom and a tragic news for billions of Muslims, JUI-F deputy parliamentary leader Mufti Kifayatullah recalled that Pakistan had been achieved in the name of Islam but now it had been turned into a killing field for those working for Islam and Jehad. Referring to the operation conducted in Abbottabad that led to the killing of bin Laden, he said it was a matter of shame for the provincial government, which was not informed about any such operation in the area under its jurisdiction. “We have been following American dictates and giving a wrong message to the world that Pakistan is a slaughterhouse for those believing in Jehad,” he said, adding that there was a big gap between the government and nation. The rulers, he added, were supporting the US but the common Muslims loved Muslim heroes. “Terrorists and fundamentalists have been given to us by foreigners. The great Muslim heroes are being killed here in Pakistan and it is a matter of shame for the Pakistan Army when the foreign forces come and kill people on our soil,” Mufti Kifayatullah said. He pointed out that the incident occurred at midnight but the Foreign Office issued statement at noon. The legislator alleged that the Pakistan Army had handed over bin Laden to Americans who later killed him in a fake encounter. Reciting revolutionary poetry, the JUI-F leader said the injustices would have to end and a revolution would emerge in the name of Islam. “We assure the world that Pakistan is not a killing field for the Muslims. Osama is a hero and we consider such incidents an attack on the sovereignty of Pakistan,” Mufti Kifayatullah said, adding: “This was not an attack on Osama but on our sovereignty. The terrorist America is attacking Muslims in the ‘Islamic Fort’ (Pakistan).” Condemning such attacks, he declared that an Islamic revolution would turn the land into a graveyard for the Americans and their agents. The movement against them, he said, would not end with the killing of bin Laden. “America is the killer and peaceful struggle will continue till the disintegration of US,” he said. Mufti Kifayatullah said: “We have no guns and army but we will offer our body to the bullets. Their bullets would finish but bodies of Ulema and Muslims will not. We believe in constitution and raising our voice on the floor of the House. Our sacrifices had caused disintegration of the Soviet Union and America would also be divided into pieces in the same way.” In his response, Senior Minister Bashir Bilour ridiculed Mufti Kifayatullah’s claims and asked him as who had authorised him to represent all Muslims, saying, “Pakhtuns are better Muslims than others.” He held bin Laden responsible for the killing of innocent citizens including children and women and destruction of schools, hospitals and others. “Why Osama did not fight in his own country? Why he killed our children and on whose instructions? Why he destroyed Swat, Peshawar and entire Pakistan and why Mufti Kifayatullah did not deliver such an emotional speech on the killing of thousands of citizens here,” Bashir Bilour added. The senior minister recalled that 500 Ulema in Afghanistan jointly requested bin Laden to leave their country but he did not and provided suicide jackets to people. He said the JUI-F leaders had been warning against arrival of Taliban at Margalla (Islamabad) but where are they now. Rejecting Mufti Kifayatullah’s claims, he said: “Our workers and leaders have faced the bullets.” He rejected his claim and questioned how many workers of JUI-F had rendered sacrifices. “Osama was a symbol of terrorism and killed our people,” he said, reminding that these Ulema spoke against Russia when they were getting US dollars but now they had adopted silence when they aren’t getting any dollars. He said the ANP leaders had not accepted dictation from anyone in the past nor would they do so in future. Bashir Bilour pledged to continue struggle against terrorism, saying the suicide jackets would finish but the bodies of the ANP workers would not. He said they would have to jointly work against terrorists and for safe future of their coming generation. The senior minister recalled that 3,000 army soldiers and 10,000 civilians had lost their lives while 8,500 people were injured. He held bin Laden and Mufti Kifayatullah and all those supporting him responsible for it.
