Ijazul Haq calls for unity to counter terrorism

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) Chief Ijazul Haq said on Sunday that unity was needed to counter terror in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on a religious seminary in the provincial capital.

“The people of Pakistan rendered great sacrifices as more than 80,000 people lost their lives in the war on terror and the wave of terrorism has started again,” he said while speaking at a press conference here. The PML-Z leader said he stood by the families of the madrassa students who lost their lives in the attack. He said that he visited Peshawar to offer condolences to the bereaved families.

He said a fifth generation war had been imposed on Pakistan that was aimed at weakening the country and making its institutions controversial. He said the hybrid war was meant for instigating the public against armed forces.

He said the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif should return from abroad and play a role in solving the problems instead of issuing statements against the institutions.

“Attempts are being made to create sectarian divide,” he added. Ijazul Haq said former speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq made the remarks on instructions from London and the opposition leaders supported him.

He also termed damaging the statement of Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry, saying Pakistan had nothing to do with the Pulwama attack.

He said the government should take notice of Fawad’s statement, adding that there should be no room for him in the cabinet. Ijazul Haq said unprecedented price-hike and unemployment had made life miserable for the people and even life-saving drugs were out of reach of people. “The government has failed to control mafias as it has no capable team,” he remarked. He expressed grief and sorrow over loss of lives and damage to properties due to the earthquake in Turkey.

He said Turkey always supported Pakistan in need of hour and its assistance to Pakistan for the victims of the 2005 earthquake would always be remembered.