There is a need for dialogue between Islamabad & Kabul to ensure peace in the region: Hafiz Naeemur Rehman

PESHAWAR, Sep 25 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has once again emphasized the need for dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul to ensure peace in the region.

Speaking at the Tribal Peace Jirga in Peshawar on Wednesday, he urged the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to demonstrate seriousness and responsibility, highlighting that the people of both the countries can no longer endure a state of unrest.

Rehman suggested that if the Pakistani government is hesitant to engage in direct talks, it should seek the assistance of likeminded people. He assured that Jamaat-e-Islami is willing to support the government in facilitating dialogue in the greater interest of national peace.

Addressing concerns about terrorism, Rehman insisted that Afghan territory must not be used to foster terrorism in Pakistan. He noted that thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives over the past two decades in the so-called war on terror, and he attributed the current situation to the actions of former dictator Pervez Musharraf, who, he said, dragged the country into America’s war. 

He also criticized military operations in the tribal areas, arguing that these actions have failed to yield effective results. The initiation of another operation, he pointed out, would be an admission that past efforts have been fruitless. He stressed that the deteriorating security situation in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan demands a political, rather than a military, solution.

Rehman further asserted that the Pakistan Army should focus on securing the country’s borders and refrain from performing police duties. He acknowledged that previous governments had themselves involved the military in civilian peacekeeping but urged all institutions, including the army, to operate within the constitutional limits. Jamaat-e-Islami, he emphasized, seeks to maintain harmonious relations between the armed forces and the public.

He called for immediate infrastructure development, job creation, and the establishment of women’s medical colleges and universities in the tribal areas and Balochistan. He reiterated that Jamaat-e-Islami is committed to fighting for the rights of the people and invited them to join the party in this struggle.