JUI-F chief urges government to review NAP, military courts

The use of force is not a solution to eliminate terrorism, as critics of National Action Plan are increasing with the passage of time. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said this on Sunday while addressing a press conference after conclusion of a two-day meeting of his party's Majlis-e-Shura.
He said that the party Majlis-e-Shura met here to review overall situation in the country. He said that the meeting expressed concerns over the law and order situation in the country and urged the government to review the decisions of military courts and National Action Plan (NAP).
"I had strongly opposed NAP and military courts but no one paid any heed to my opposition as a result today the government is facing more criticisms over the issue," he added.
The JUI-F chief said that despite the formation of NAP and amendment to Army Act to set up military courts to improve law and order in the country, Bacha Khan University attack took place which was surprising.
He said NAP and military courts were not a divine ordains, which cannot be changed and urged the government to review the strategy of using force.
He said the narrative of use of force should be changed now, as the religious seminaries were targeted in the country particularly in Punjab under NAP.
The JUI-F chief criticized the federal and Punjab governments for what he said targeting religious seminaries and scholars in Punjab. Fazl said that Punjab government had banned Tableeghi Jamaat in the universities which was unfair. "Even Indian government has not imposed such ban against the Muslims. Tableeghi Jamaat is a peaceful organisation and work peacefully in the country," he said. To a question, the JUI-F chief said that chief of Council of Islamic Ideology Maulana Muhammad Sherani had gave a statement regarding the blasphemy law in his personal capacity and party did not agree with him over the issue. To another question, the JUI-F chief said that issue of Jamia Hafsa was being created to defame religious seminaries in the country.