Hizbut Tahrir, a global extremist party banned in many Muslim states, on Friday said Pakistanis should take to the streets to call for Islamic rule and join a campaign to end subservience to Washington that was advancing “from Indonesia to Tunisia”.
The party, which says it is non-violent but is accused by some analysts of seeking a coup in Islamabad, added that “powerful factions” in the society including the military should also take part, but violence had no place in its work. Hizbut Tahrir won international attention when the Pakistan Army said on June 22 it was questioning four majors about alleged links to the party, following the arrest in May of a brigadier suspected of having such ties.
Brigadier Ali Khan, whose lawyer has denied the allegations, was the highest-ranking serving officer arrested in a decade. In an interview, party spokesman Taji Mustafa said the party sought to emulate the creation of the first Islamic state in what is now Saudi Arabia by “winning public opinion in favour of Islam” through discussions, marches and rallies.
