Fazl terms Obama's address a positive step

Ameer Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on Friday termed the address of US President Barack Obama to the Muslim World as a positive step, saying that the Muslim Ummah is awaiting the practical implementation over the policies announced by Obama.
Talking to the journalists here at the Parliament House, Fazl, who is also Chairman Kashmir Committee, said the US President had adopted a new stance towards the Muslim World after decades and his views about the Muslims were quite rational which was a positive sign. "However, the question remains unanswered is that whether the US administration could enrage the Israel by supporting Palestinians and whether the US would pressurise the Indian government to liberate Kashmir," argued Fazl-ur-Rehman.
"The US waged war against the Arab countries just to get hold of the natural resources, including the petroleum products. If the US really wants peace across the globe, it would have to review its policies as these policies were fanning war hysteria," he added.
The religious party leader said the views expressed by Obama about Muslims were new and that was the reason that the Muslim World was awaiting the practical implementation over these assertions made by the US President.
Responding to a query, Fazl-ur-Rehman said the government was taking initiatives without taking the politico-religious parties into confidence and this attitude had resulted into a human issue with the dislocation of over 3 million people from Swat and Malakand division. He advised the government to take initiatives taking the politico-religious parties into confidence as this would bear better results.
He said the MMA government had not allowed any military operation in the NWFP as operation was no solution to the problems faced by the people of the area. To a question about the arrest of Maulana Fazlullah, the religious party leader said any arrest or killing of the militant leader would not serve the purpose. "In wars, there are arrests and even killings. However, this does not defeat the militancy and talks are the best way to resolve the issues," he concluded.