Terrorism was allowed to grow for last five years, says JI Amir Syed Munawar Hasan

In an interview, Syed Munawar Hasan said “we have been providing logistical support to terrorism by including known terrorists‚ extortionists and criminals in the government both at the centre and in Sindh in the name of reconciliation.” 

He said terrorism was there even before the United States formally launched war against terror twelve years ago and today it has become a full-blown tree.

But at the same time‚ the JI Amir said‚ his party has been propounding that it is the US war and we should take ourselves out of it but instead we gave the United States bases and other logistical support.

Asked why dialogue should be held with Taliban‚ Syed Munawar Hasan said “we have been holding dialogue with the United States even after it carried out aggression at Salala and Washington has not to-date offered an apology.”

To another question he said operation in Swat was not transparent.

He said “media reports bear testimony to the fact that our government faithfully acted upon the persistent demand of the United States to ‘do more'.

He said the APC convened by then Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and attended also by the Army Chief and Director-General ISI adopted a resolution but it has not been implemented even by one percent.

Replying to a question whether the cycle of terrorism would end with the departure of the United States from neighbouring Afghanistan‚ he said there would still be about forty thousand US troops in Afghanistan. He said the US is still there in Iraq despite claims about withdrawal.

He said the United States should have been penalized for invading Iraq despite the fact that there were no weapons of mass destruction.

When repeatedly pressed to clarify Jamaat's view point about terrorism and known militant outfits‚ Syed Munawar Hasan said why the government did not take any action against them. He said people gave mandate to the government to safeguard their lives and properties‚ eliminate unemployment and check price hike but instead it has been serving the US interests. He questioned whether mandate of the Interior Minister was just to pass on information about possible act of terrorism and terrorize people or take preventive measures. He said JI condemns whenever innocent lives become target of terrorism. NNI