Jamait faction faces militant groups' wrath

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 28. The Jamait Ulamae Islam (JUI) faction led by Maulana Fazalur Rehman continues to face the wrath of the militant outfits for its call to ceasefire in Kashmir to enable a successful summit meeting between the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Reports in the Pakistani Urdu press claimed that the outfits belonging to the Deobandi school of thought had dissociated themselves from the JUI (Fazlur Rehman Group) in protest against the Maulana's appeal.

Some Urdu papers reported that these outfits had joined hands with another JUI faction led by Maulana Samiul Haq. The Harkat-ul-Mujahideen chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, reportedly wrote to Maulana Fazlur Rehman saying the latter's stand on the jehad in Kashmir was a betrayal.

The Harkat chief said the appeal made by Fazalur Rehman had forced the Harkat to part ways with the JUI(F), and that the mujahideen (holy warriors) would continue the struggle till the goal was achieved.

Some Urdu papers reported that militant outfits belonging to the Deobandi school of thought had established contacts with Maulana Samiul Haq and that both sides decided to join hands. At least one newspaper confirmed the letter written by the Harkat chief. He was quoted as saying that after the Deoband Conference (near Peshawar recently), the JUI(F) chief had tried to make him agree for a ceasefire in Kashmir, and that he had categorically refused to do so.

Another Urdu paper, Nawai Waqt, said Gen. Musharraf, during an interactive session with representatives of political and religious parties, sought answers to four questions. (1) Has India extended invitation with sincerity? (2) Should Gen. Musharraf visit India accepting the invitation? (3) Why has India agreed to hold talks with Pakistan? And (4) give your proposals to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The participants, who had come prepared with long speeches, were told to confine their observations to the four questions. At one stage when Maulana Fazlur Rehman asked Gen. Musharraf whether he had any solution for the Kashmir issue in mind, the latter said he was visiting India with an open mind, which was why he was seeking suggestions from the politicians.

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Section  : International
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