Jamaat-i-Islami to participate in mid-term polls if held: Qazi

Chief, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmed has said that his party would take part in general elections wholeheartedly to bring change in the set up constitutionally if mid-term polls were held, however, he added that JI would oppose and resist if armed forces attempted to interrupt into the system.
He expressed his views, while talking to newsmen at Multan railway station just before leaving for Sukkur on the third leg of its train march on Tuesday. Qazi said that Army has no solution to the people's problem and US wants to make Pakistan a secular state in the guise of war against terror and it is trying to create gulf among the different sections of Pakistani society.
He stressed that this dire need of hour that Muslim Umma should forge unity in their ranks to foil the ulterior motive of the West. Moreover, he said that Kashmiris are freedom fighters, but our rulers are calling them "terrorists" therefore, we would have to express solidarity with them because Kashmir is an artery of Pakistan. Qazi further said, "we are extending the hand for co-operation toward India but its leadership was plotting to turn Pakistan into a barren state.
Raising of Lashkar to fight against militants, is dangerous trend that may lead to civil war," he warned and emphasised to resolve the issue of militancy through dialogue instead of Lashkars and people having influence should be contacted for the purpose.
"If the United Kingdom and France have realised the reality that they can not be successful to get domination over Afghanistan and Taliban by means of force, then why our rulers have shut their eyes to the fact that military operation is not a solution to the problem," he asked.
Speaking on the occasion he said that his party could play a vital role in the negotiations to bring normalcy to the tribal region if the government abandoned the policies of Musharraf's regime. Justifying the APDM decision to boycott the election, Qazi has said that nothing has been changed in the last nine months and the present government was continuing the policies of Musharraf regime.
The marchers received a poor response in the city as around 100 people were there outside the railway station to send them off as none was allowed to step on the platform for the purpose.
The security cordon was so tight that even the vehicle carrying Qazi to the venue was not allowed entry though local leaders introduced themselves to the police. He said that the rulers were avoiding reinstatement of deposed judges who refused to bow before a dictator. He said that the people were not expecting justice from the courts of Abdul Hameed Dogar.