After the launch of a mainstream political party by the proscribed Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), founder of the Kashmiri militant outfit Harkatul Mujahideen (HuM), Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil is also planning to launch a political party of his own, Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.
Khalil is a Rawalpindi-based cleric who had been tagged by the US State Department as a “specially designated global terrorist” on September 30, 2014.
Khalil cofounded Harakatul Jihadul Islami in 1980, and was reportedly a signatory to Osama bin Laden’s 1998 fatwa that called for an international front against the West. He stepped down as chief of HuM in February 2000.
Pakistani authorities arrested him in May 2004, for allegedly helping transport Pakistani militants into Afghanistan. However, he was released after six months due to lack of evidence. He then founded the Ansar ul Ummah, but the outfit was disbanded after some years.
A source close to the cleric said that the senior cleric was in touch with many of his associates to mobilise people in order to launch a political party.
“Maulana (Khalil) has taken a lead from Maulana Makki’s decision to mainstream his (banned) outfit. He believes it is about time to get back all his associates and friends who have been sidelined due to the effective ban on their movement and activities,” the source said.
It is pertinent to mention here that the JuD activists have recently entered the political sphere with the launching of the Milli Muslim League (MML) on August 8.
‘IWP TO WORK FOR PEACE’:
When contacted, Maulana Khalil confirmed his intentions to launch a political party soon.
“Yes, I have been in touch with my colleagues and followers and we have even finalized a name for the party – Islah-e-Watan Party (IWP). For this purpose, the central Shura (executive committee) would soon meet to finalise details,” he added.
He said that the proposed Islah-e-Watan Party would work for the promotion of peace and tranquility in the country.
“We will also launch awareness campaigns to mobilise the masses against corruption, violations of the articles of the constitution, non-delivery of basic rights to the people at large and helping the suffering humanity,” said the cleric.
“Due to the inept political leadership, Pakistan today faces isolation in the international and regional levels. We will reflect Pakistan’s case at all forums,” he claimed.
“We plan to approach all religious parties with a message of unity. Our top priority would be to protect and promote the interest of Pakistan,” he said, adding that today politics has become a tool in the hands of a few elites.
“We would like to condemn the derogatory statement made recently by US President (Donald) Trump. The US needs to know that Pakistan is neither Syria nor Iraq. If any step is taken against Pakistan, we would turn our lands into a graveyard for aggressive forces,” Khalil added.
