JI asks govt to recognise Taliban as legitimate power

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has demanded of the government to recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate governing power, urging it not to neglect the ground realities in the neighbouring country.

“The Taliban forces in Afghanistan have struggled for an Islamic system of governance in the country and they say openly that they would implement a just system based on the Islamic principles,” he said while addressing a large gathering held to pay homage to the party’s former chief Syed Munawar Hasan on his death anniversary. Addressing the gathering held at the Eidgah Ground in the Nazimabad area late on Sunday night, the JI chief said a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan was essential not only for the progress and development of Pakistan but also the Muslim block in the region as well. “Unfortunately, the government in Islamabad was looking towards the United States in this regard.”

Siraj said that the entire Muslim world, particularly Saudi Arabia, should recognise the Taliban government otherwise it would be tantamount to destabilising Kabul once again. Paying tributes to Munawar Hasan, Siraj said the late JI chief was an icon of movement and resistance against tyranny in the society. “Munawar Hassan will always be remembered for his quality of speaking his conscience even in the worst situations,” he said.

Referring to Munawar Hassan's much-talked about statement on the war against terrorism, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the late JI leader had foresighted and spoke a decade ago that the United States will be defeated in Afghanistan and current political and military leadership have now reached the same conclusion. JI leaders Asadullah Bhutto, Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, senior journalists Shafi Naqi Jamie, Mazhar Abbas and academic Professor Saeed Usmani were also among the speakers.