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India-Pakistan

7 including MMA candidate injured in Bannu blast

2018-07-08

[DAWN] At least seven people including the candidate of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) were injured when his convoy came under bomb attack in Bannu of Saturday, DawnNewsTV reported. According to police, the MMA’s candidate from the PK-89 constituency, Sherin Malik was campaigning for elections in Takhti Kheil area of Bannu when a blast occurred targeting his convoy. The MMA leader along with six other people suffered injuries and were rushed to nearby DHQ hospital. According to police, the explosive was planted in a motorcycle which was detonated remotely. There has been no immediate claim by any militant groups for the blast. Earlier this month, at least 10 people were injured in a blast at the election office of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidate in Razmak tehsil of North Waziristan tribal district.

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India-Pakistan

Rangers kill Jundallah chief in Hub

2016-11-13

QUETTA - Pakistan-based Jundallah Amir Arif alias Saqib was reportedly killed on Friday by Rangers. The Rangers sources said their crews operating in Hub killed on Friday the amir of Pakistan-based Jundallah, an outlawed outfit Arif. Arif alias Saqib was mastermind of suicide explosions in Balochistan. “He was amir of Jundallah group in Pakistan and was manipulating subversive activities jointly with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Islamic State (IS) in the country,” revealed the sources. A huge quantity of explosive materials along with arms was also recovered. Apart from Pakistan, the Jundallah amir was also most wanted in Iran in scores of subversive activities, the sources said. “Acting upon a tip off by intelligence agencies, Rangers’ anti-terrorist force Thursday night conducted an operation at a suspected militant hideout in the Hub area of Balochistan,” read a statement issued by a Rangers spokesperson, reported a private TV channel. “During the exchange of fire, the Jundallah chief and nominated deputy chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Sindh, Saqib alias Arif alias Anjum, was killed,” the statement added. The Rangers spokesperson also revealed that the Jundallah chief along with members of Al-Qaeda, Jamaatul Ahrar and Islamic State was involved in several high-profile terror acts. Some of them were allegedly involved in various terror activities, including an attack on the vehicle of the then Karachi Corps Commander Lt-Gen Ahsan Saleem, a suicide hit on Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Quetta, assassination of chief security officer of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Bilal Sheikh and attack on a church and members of minority communities. The Rangers statement also claimed that the killed militant was planning major terror attacks on Rangers’ headquarters and the SSU headquarters in Karachi. The paramilitary force also recovered explosives from the suspect’s house, which was being used as a factory for preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), claimed the spokesperson. The Rangers also claimed to have recovered huge quantity of automatic weapons, ammunition and hand grenades. TWO TERRORISTS KILLED IN PANJGUR Two terrorists were killed and a security personnel injured during operation of the Frontier Corps (FC) and sensitive agencies against the extremists in Panjgur on Friday. FC spokesman said the paramilitary force in collaboration with sensitive agencies conducted a joint operation against militants in Panjgur district. During operation two terrorists were killed, another injured while one security personnel was also wounded in the firing exchange. The security personnel recovered arms and explosives from the possession of the terrorists. The injured FC was man shifted to a hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, eight operatives of the banned outfit were detained on Friday after exchange of fire with security forces. According to FC Balochistan spokesman, law-enforcing agencies apprehended eight terrorists of BLF and recovered RPG7 rockets, five rifles, explosive materials, IEDs, 63kg hashish and communication instruments from their custody.

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India-Pakistan

KP police to replace army in secured areas

2015-11-18

PESHAWAR: The apex committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa decided on Tuesday to ‘gradually’ withdraw army troops from checkpoints in areas where the security situation is improving. However, a statement issued by the Governor’s House, did not mention any timeframe and the areas from where withdrawal of troops would start. It only said that the vacated checkpoints would be manned by police. The statement also did not say who would replace the troops in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in case of their pullout from there. Also read: KP police report: 100% conviction rate after NAP claimed The apex committee meeting, presided over by Governor Mahtab Ahmad Khan, was attended by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Corps Commander Lt Gen Hidayatur Rehman and senior officials of the military, law-enforcement agencies and civil administration. KP police chief Nasir Khan Durrani, who attended the meeting, said that it had been decided that the army troops would be withdrawn from the checkpoints, but no timeframe or areas had been specified. “It (pullout) will take some time,” he said, adding that deployment of police at the checkpoints would be planned according to capacity and resources of the force. “The process will start gradually,” he added. The army was called out in the province in 2007 by the then Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government to curb insurgency in Swat valley, spearheaded by outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Mullah Fazlullah. The army had launched an extensive operation against militants in Swat and other districts of Malakand division in 2009. Army and paramilitary troops were also deployed in other districts of the province and on the main highways to restore the state’s writ. The troops have been manning checkpoints on the Indus Highway, Motorway and Grand Trunk Road, other main highways linking tribal agencies with KP and inner roads of all major cities and towns to contain movement and activities of terrorists. The official statement said the apex committee had reviewed progress on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and discussed matters relating to the return of temporarily dislocated persons (TDPs) and the law and order situation in the province and Fata. The committee expressed satisfaction over the progress and called for taking further steps. The meeting was briefed on security measures and rehabilitation arrangements in the affected areas. The meeting was informed that more than 800,000 TDPs had returned to their homes with the government’s assistance. LOUDSPEAKERS: It was decided that misuse of loudspeakers would not be allowed and action taken against those involved in militancy. No-one will be allowed to use loudspeakers for spreading hatred, violence and anarchy. The committee decided that elements providing any sort of assistance and financial support to terrorists and other criminals in the province and Fata would be taken to task. All such channels of illegal monetary support will be blocked. The officials concerned were directed to contact the federal government for the return of eight platoons of the Frontier Constabulary. These troops will be deployed on the Karakoram Highway and other important points in the province. Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2015

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India-Pakistan

JUI-F slams militancy in tribal areas

2012-01-21

[Dawn] Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... (JUI-F) has condemned the krazed killers` activities in the tribal areas and said that some elements wanted to create lawlessness and terrorise the local people. Speaking at a conference in Khar, Bajaur Agency, aka Turban Central, on Thursday the JUI-F leaders said that their party would continue a peaceful struggle for implementation of the Shariah law. They rejected the recent Fata reforms and demanded of the government to abolish the Frontier Crimes Regulation. Senators Gul Naseeb and Abdur Rashid, former MNAs Mohammad Qasim and Mohammad Sadiq and other party leaders spoke at the function. On this occasion, Mr Naseeb claimed that the party was struggling for implementation of Islamic laws in the country through ballot. He said that the JUI-F had never supported those elements who tried to impose the Islamic law by force. The Senator said that bad governance was major issue of the country and the ruling parties had broken records of corruption. He said that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government had brought financial discipline and improved governance in the province. He said that the province had made record progress under the MMA. Mr Naseeb said that the JUI-F would sweep the next general elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... .

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India-Pakistan

Jamaat's tough stance hampers MMA revival

2011-12-27

[Dawn] The tough stance of Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... may block restoration of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) though Jamaat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) seems optimistic about the revival of the alliance, according to sources. JUI-F provincial secretary information Abdul Jalil Jan said in a statement on Sunday that the party central general council had authorised the leadership to continue efforts for the revival of the alliance of religious parties. He said that JUI-F central council comprising 400 members, headed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... , met in Lahore last week and allowed its leadership to carry on endeavours for the restoration of MMA. Members from all four provinces and tribal areas attended the council meeting. The MMA, an alliance of six religious parties, was formed in early 2002 that swept the general elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... . The alliance formed governments in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... after 2002 general polls. The MMA was dissolved in October 2007 owing to differences among its member parties. Apart from JUI-F and JI, JUI-S, Jamaat Ulema-i-Pakistain, Jamaat Ahl-i-Hadith and Pakistain Tehrik-i-Islami were also part of the alliance. A big shot of JUI-F told Dawn that homework had been completed for the restoration of MMA and the alliance was likely to be formally restored next month. He said that Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of his own faction of JUI and head of Pakistain Defence Council, would not be part of the MMA this time. Maulana Samiul Haq, founder of the MMA, had also quit the alliance. "The JI is very keen in restoration of MMA and leaders of all factions are likely to meet in Islamabad next month and will make announcement in this regard," he claimed. He added that restoration of the alliance was possible before elections. However, the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits... a source in the JI said that his party had set tough conditions for rejoining the alliance and Maulana Fazlur Rehman might not agree on those terms and conditions. He said that JI wanted to rejoin the alliance when government announced schedule for general elections while JUI was insisting for its immediate restoration. JI central shura is meeting in Lahore on Monday that will decide fate of the alliance. The source said that revival of MMA would not be possible unless JUI-F accepted major demands of Jamaat. "One major demand of the JI is that Fazlur Rehman will not cooperate with the Pakistain People's Party in future," he said, adding that Jamaat also demanded 50 per cent share in the allotment of tickets both for national and provincial assemblies. He said that JI also wanted new code of conduct for the restoration of MMA. He said that JI wanted equal share in the allotment of seats in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata because the party had improved its vote bank in both the areas. The Jamaat-e-Islami has set up a five-member committee, headed by its central general secretary Liaquat Baloch, to finalise conditions and demands for rejoining MMA. The committee, sources said, had finished its work and would present its report in the shura meeting in Mansoora, the party central headquarters. The sources said that JI was also taking into consideration electoral alliance or seat to seat adjustment with Pakistain Tehrik-i-Insaf in next general elections. They said that it was very early for JI to rejoin MMA.

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India-Pakistan

Court whitewashes Maulana Abdul Aziz in 4 cases

2011-11-02

[Dawn] A local court on Monday acquitted Maulana Abdul Aziz chief holy man of Lal Masjid from four cases and also reserved judgment on two other cases for November 2. Judicial Magistrate of Islamabad Kashif Qayyum Sheikh acquitted him from the cases registered against him during 2004 to 2007 by Aabpara Police. The cases were initially heard in Anti Terrorist Courts (ATC) of Rawalpindi but after the removal of section 7 of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, these were transferred to Islamabad. The Police registered FIR 144/04 against Maulana Aziz when Police raided his house in 2004 to arrest him and his brother Abdul Rashid Ghazi but both of them beat feet. According to the said FIR, during the raid, Police recovered 2 Kalashnikovs, 3 magazines and 72 rounds from their residence. Another FIR 144/05 alleged Maulana Aziz of resisting the Police official and facilitating the escape of proclaimed offenders (PO) when the Police was about to arrest them in 2005. Third FIR 146/05 alleged that on the call of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the Lal Masjid administration led by Maulana Aziz arranged a demonstration in which the angry mob caused damage to vehicles and cycle of violences of the Police officials. The fourth FIR 221/07 in which the court acquitted Maulana Aziz accused him of distribution of pamphlets, delivering fiery ...a single two-syllable word carrying connotations of both incoherence and viciousness. A fiery delivery implies an audience of rubes and yokels, preferably forming up into a mob... speeches and inciting people against the government. The court reserved its judgment on two cases including issuance of `Fatwa` against Wana Operation and for detaining a police official in Lal Masjid.

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India-Pakistan

Only religious parties can stop America, says Fazl

2011-10-14

[Dawn] Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... on Thursday said the coalition of religious parties was the need of the hour and its only them that can stop US from its 'nefarious designs,' DawnNews reported. Speaking at the Mufti Mehmood Conference, Maulana said conspirers were at work to create a Fata and Wazoo like situation in Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... The party chief further said the US was trying to blame Pakistain for its defeat in Afghanistan. Opening up a US consulate in Balochistan would increase bloodshed in the region, he said. Maulana informed that his party was trying to revive the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA). Commenting on Balochistan situation, Maulana said faithful of the 'establishment' were trying to become 'Nawab' and 'Sardar' by accepting benefits, whereas his party was struggling against landlords and feudals.

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India-Pakistan

Only Pakhtun jirga can bring peace: Lala

2011-09-10

[Dawn] Foreign troops cannot restore peace in the region and the only solution to the crisis is a Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga wherein Taliban can also participate if they stop bloodshed, says veteran politician and central leader of Awami National Party, Mohammad Afzal Khan Lala. According to him, nothing will happen if US-led NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... forces withdraw from Afghanistan. "Enough is enough. It is time that leaders of all political parties and groups join hands to stop bloodshed of innocent people," he told a 'Meet the Press' programme of Beautiful Downtown Peshawar Press Club on Thursday. He said that Pakhtuns could resolve their disputes on their own but they were made scapegoats in the fight between two superpowers. He said that at least three million Pakhtuns were killed and as a result one superpower became the supreme power while the other one lost its position. "It is a matter of grave concern as to why the war is fought on the soil of Pakhtuns. The war pushed them to utter backwardness and added to their miseries," he said, adding that a liberal and democratic Pakhtun nation was deliberately branded as turban and terrorist. Khan Lala said that it was duty of all Pakhtun leaders, belonging to different political and religious parties, to play their role in bringing an end to bloodshed in all areas of the region including Afghanistan, Fata, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... , Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... and Bloody Karachi. "For restoration of peace in the region, all the three neighbouring countries --Afghanistan, Pakistain and India -- should cooperate with each other and form a trilateral commission to monitor the situation on regular basis," he said. The proposed Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga, he said, would be organised in near future in five cities -- Peshawar, Quetta, Kandahar, Jalalabad and Kabul -- to ensure participation of maximum stakeholders and get feedback for restoration of sustainable peace in the region. He said that in 1893 Pakhtuns were divided in Afghanistan, Fata, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and that was why they were subjected to violence everywhere. "Different nations of the world including German reunited and broke the walls but Pakhtuns could not unite despite lapse of 118 years," he lamented. Referring to murders in Bloody Karachi, he said that there were more than four million Pakhtuns, who were playing vital role in the development of the mega city. More than 80 per cent victims of murder in Bloody Karachi were Pakhtuns, he said. About agreements with Taliban, he said that all agreements in Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... were signed against his will and that was why none of the deals succeeded. "Three provincial governments are responsible for Swat crisis," he said, adding that former chief minister Aftab Sherpao formed Tanzim Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi for damaging Jamaat-i-Islami in Malakand division and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal gave a free hand to faceless myrmidons in the region while the incumbent government of PPP and ANP signed agreements with Taliban and provided them a chance to establish their network. "Being residents of the area and victims of militancy, the government never bothered to take us into confidence before striking deals with faceless myrmidons otherwise we would have never allowed it to do so as it was not in the interests of people," the ANP leader said. He said that government's decision to establish an Islamic university was also wrong because the area people had never demanded setting up of institutions with such names.

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India-Pakistan

Efforts on to revive MMA

2011-07-15

[Dawn] Two constituents of the defunct Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have re-launched their efforts to revive the six-party religious alliance in the wake of prevailing political scenario. The alliance went into dormancy when Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam of Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... participated in the February 2008 general elections in violation of the MMA leaders' decision of boycotting the polls in line with the All-Pakistain Democratic Movement (APDM) policy. Maulana Fazl had earlier annoyed his colleagues in the alliance, especially Qazi Husain Ahmad of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), by failing to fulfill the promise of dissolving Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... (then NWFP) Assembly to render incomplete the electoral college for presidential polls held in October 2007 and ostensibly paving the way for General Musharraf's election. Leaders of the JI and Jamiat Ulema Pakistain-Noorani (JUP-N) met here on Wednesday in a bid to resuscitate the religious grouping. Led by Munawwar Hasan and Liaquat Baloch of the JI and Pir Ijaz Hashmi and Qari Zawwar Bahadur of the JUP-N, delegations of the two parties discussed ways and means to contact various religious and political parties. The JUP-N would shortly convene a meeting of the MMA constituent parties in this regard and a final date would be made public after contacting all the members of the gathering. Hashmi later told Dawn that the session would be held in Bloody Karachi. Both the parties also decided to bring together all "patriotic" opposition parties, Hashmi said and added that likely expansion in the MMA would also be discussed in the meeting.

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India-Pakistan

Fazl against commission on Abbottabad US raid

2011-06-14

[Dawn] JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... has reneged on his party's support for the Independent Commission on the Abbottabad US raid, and said that in his "personal opinion" it is against the "national interest". "If the commission finds the military in the wrong it will be Pakistain that will suffer, not the military leadership," he said while talking to news hounds on Sunday outside his official residence in the Ministers' Enclave after a meeting of his party's central majlis-i-shoora. He alleged that the government itself had created controversy over the commission in order to avoid investigations. Maulana Fazl said he had not attended the May 14 joint session of both houses of parliament which had adopted a resolution asking the government to set up the commission. Had he attended the session, he would have opposed the resolution, he added. The government announced on May 31 the setting up of a five-member commission headed by Justice Javed Iqbal of the Supreme Court to investigate the May 2 covert US commando operation. However, some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... the announcement triggered controversies, it was rejected by the PML-N, Justice Javed Iqbal said he would head the commission only if Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry allowed him to do so and Justice (retd) Fakharuddin G. Ebrahim said he would not like to be its member. The commission is expected to start its work because the government has already set up its secretariat. The JUI-F chief said if the commission blamed the armed forces for being negligent, it would result in isolation of the defence forces. Maulana Fazl said the process of reconciliation being pursued in Afghanistan through a Pakistain-Afghan commission should also be initiated in Pakistain. He said the JUI-F believed that the policy of using force to eliminate terrorism had failed in both countries. He warned against a military operation in North Wazoo. "The army will launch a suicide kaboom on itself if it launches the operation," he said. Maulana Fazl called for a review of the foreign policy and the policy of war against terrorism. He said the government would be responsible for "bloodshed and lawlessness" in the country if it did not review the policies. The JUI-F chief said that the revival of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had become indispensable. Despite having reservations over the attitude of the Jamaat-i-Islami, he said, the JUI-F had authorised him to contact leaders of the component parties of the non-functional alliance and he would soon convene an informal meeting. It will be the first formal attempt to revive the MMA since the JUI-F quitting the government in December last year. Efforts made earlier to revive the alliance had failed because the Jamaat-i-Islami put the condition that the JUI-F should first leave the ruling coalition. Contacts between the two parties were revived in May last year in the wake of a three-day meeting of Deobandi leaders held in Lahore as part of reconciliation among religious parties. About 150 leaders representing different Deobandi groups, seminaries and political parties attended the meeting. The objectives of the conference, according to some participants, were to discuss factors which engendered terrorism, "organise a movement for the enforcement of Shariat through peaceful and democratic means" and "draw public attention to the need for defending Pakistain's illusory sovereignty and security". The meeting failed to reach a unanimous stand against suicide attacks in the country.

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India-Pakistan

Anti-terrorist court sentences six in Turabi murder case

2010-10-01

The Anti terrorist court in Karachi concluded the hearing of Allama Hassan Turabi's murder case on Thursday. Three of the six accused were sentenced to death and the other three were sentenced to life imprisonment. Allama Hasan Turabi, and his young nephew were killed when a boomer blew himself up outside the religious leader's Gulshan-i-Iqbal residence on July 16, 2006. The six accused had been charged with criminal masterminding the suicide kaboom on the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader and also with planting a remote-control bomb to kill him. The anti terrorist court judge, Anand Ram based on the evidence provided to the court ordered death sentences to Amanullah, Muhammad Rehman and Sultan Mahmood. Life imprisonment was ordered to the remaining three, Ashfaque, Muhammad Akber and Rahim.

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India-Pakistan

MMA cannot be revived through sloganeering: JI chief

2010-06-08

[Dawn] Jamaat-i-Islami chief Munawwar Hasan on Monday said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) would revive neither through sloganeering and nor through the pressure of one political party. A coalition of religious parties can only come about by learning from mistakes made in the past and by making up for those mistakes, he said. Religious parties which have sided with the People's Party and the American military have to answer for damaging the objectives of religious forces, he said. "Some of the religious parties played a negative role during the period of the MMA government and therefore damaged the coalition," Hasan said. He further said that while the United States was in talks with the Afghan Taliban, it was against Pakistan talking to the Pakistani Taliban. "This is sheer hypocrisy," Hasan said.

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