Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), on Monday said the military action in North Waziristan Agency was being conducted to avenge the death of military personnel.
Addressing a press conference, the cleric said the government should explain how the military convoy was attacked in the tribal region despite a curfew being in place.
Fazl added that the action in North Waziristan was “against the tribal people” and claimed that 65 people killed in the action were innocent civilians.
Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the JUI-F chief said Imran Khan’s party was staging the sit-ins only to keep its politics alive and without achieving any meaningful results, adding that those who have brought PTI to power “should now be prepared to handle it”.
To a question on an upsurge in sectarian violence in the country, Fazl said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should directly intervene in bringing it to a halt.
The cleric, who recently returned from a visit to India, told reporters that he had made it clear to the Indian leadership that an independent Kashmir was neither in India’s favour nor in Pakistan’s interest, adding that if the Kashmiris are disappointed with both countries, they would move towards independence.
