US Consul General Zachary Harkenrider calls on Senator Siraj ul Haq

Lahore: Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Senator Sirajul Haq, told the US Consul General Zachary Harkenrider here on Tuesday that the JI was not against the USA or the American people, but it was against the US polices. The American diplomat had called on the JI chief at Mansoora and discussed with him matters of bilateral interest.

Sirajul Haq said that a majority of the American people also supported the JI viewpoint in regard to the policies of their government.

He said that Pakistan had paid a heavy price in the war on terror and the ammunition used on the both sides of the Pak Afghan border during this war was much more than what had been used at Hiroshima. He said the harmful effects of this would continue for centuries as numerous fatal diseases had already surfaced in the area.

The JI chief noted that all issues could e sorted out through dialogue. He said that all sides should stick to the principles of justice, equality and true democracy.

Sirajul Haq said that there was organized state terrorism behind the recent bomb blasts in Peshawar and also in fanning sectarian and factional differences in the country. Director, JI Foreign affairs wing, Abdul Ghaffar Aziz, was also present.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Voice of the Christian International headed by its Director, Samuel Piyara, also called on the JI chief and discussed. The JI chief told the delegation that the JI considered the non-Muslims living in the country as Pakistani community and not a minority. He said that all the citizens had equal rights and all the minorities had full religious freedom.

He said the minority wing of the JI included prominent members from all minorities including Christians, Hindus and Sikhs. He appreciated the services of the organization in the fields of education, health and employment.

A delegation of the Baloch people from Quetta headed by the Nazim of Tehsil Pingpayee, Jameel Ahmed Mushwani, also called on the JI chief and apprised him of the problems being faced by the people in the province. Talking to the delegation, Sirajul Haq said it was the duty of the government to solve the problems of the people of Balochistan. He said that Balochistan was the largest province of the country and was rich with natural resources but it had remained backward economically. The government should open schools and health centers  and also province jobs to the youth there.