MQM urges govt to ban JI

Accusing the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) of having links with the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al Qaeda, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday demanded that the government impose a ban on the JI.
In a telephonic address, MQM chief Altaf Hussain alleged that the JI had connections with the TTP and al Qaeda. He said the workers of the JI and its student wing Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) were being killed in the US drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“As the JI and its baby organisation IJT have links with outlawed organizations, the government should impose a ban on both,” he demanded.
“General Niazi was killed by Hakeemullah Mehsud but when Hakeemullah was killed, JI ameer Munawar Hassan called him a martyr,” he maintained.
He also alleged JI for hatching anti-state conspiracies to destroy the country and demanded of the government to lodge cases against activists of the party who are involved in anti-state activities.
“The government, army and agencies should stop victimisation of Muhajirs,” he said, adding, “The army would not be able to control the situation if I and my party workers lose patience.”
“IJT activists involved in acts of violence in Punjab University were released a day after being arrested, while MQM workers were being targeted and arrested,” he said, adding that “”If there are cases against IJT members, they were not arrested and even if arrested, they were released .”
On this occasion, the MQM chief presented a fact sheet which described details of those killed in drone attacks or arrested for having links with banned organisations.
The list included Dr Arshad Waheed who belonged to Karachi and was a JI activist and was also associated with the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) which is a sister organization of the JI. He was involved in terrorism with al Qaeda and Jundullah. He was targeted and killed in a US drone strike on March 14, 2008 in Waziristan.
Kashif Hussain, another JI activist, was also killed in a US drone strike. Sanaullah was resident of Karachi and an activist of IJT in University of Karachi. He was killed in a US drone strike in Dec, 2009.
Shabbir Hussain was resident of Karachi and an activist of IJT in University of Karachi. He was killed in a US drone strike in Dec, 2009.
Tanveerul Islam, an IJT activist in the University of Karachi, was killed in a US drone strike in Dec, 2009. Zuhair Imtiaz Qudwai was resident of Karachi and an activist of IJT in University of Karachi. He was killed in a US drone strike in Dec, 2009.
Abdur Rehman Shujaat was a resident of North Karachi and was an activist of the IJT in NED University. He was killed in a US drone strike on November 29 in Miranshah.
The list also names some of the JI and IJT members who were killed in drone attacks.
Separately, JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch said that the IJT and the JI were peaceful parties and all the allegations against them were baseless.
He said Altaf Hussain, in his every speech, spoke of new issues which had nothing to do with reality.
He said that the MQM had attended the APC in which unanimous decisions were made. However, Altaf Hussain was now backing off from his party’s stance.
Baloch also accused the MQM of involvement in targeted killings and extortion, adding that people of Karachi would dissociate themselves from Altaf Hussain’s speech.
The JI secretary general said that they had demanded that the Punjab chief minister form a judicial commission into the Punjab University incident.