Pak Taliban not for capturing Indian Kashmir, for eminence of Islam: Sufi Muhammad

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): The Pakistani Taliban is not interested in marching into Indian-held Kashmir to establish its writ, but very determined to ensure the pre-eminence of Islam wherever possible, said Tehreek- e-Nifaz-e- Sharia Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad.

In his first ever interview to a magazine in India and outside Pakistan, Sufi Muhammad when asked whether the Taliban would march into Jammu and Kashmir after establishing control in the Malakand Agency and other adjoining areas in Pakistan, said: "Our struggle is for the eminence of Islam not for getting a piece of land."

In an interview given to a Delhi-based freelance journalist R.C.Ganjoo, carried by Power Politics magazine, after establishing Islamic rule in Swat, Sufi spoke extensively on the justification for introducing and establishing the Sharia as the law of the land in Pakistan, and why the people falling under its purview should apply it to all walks of life, including education.

Giving an insight into the Taliban's perspective, he said: "We are demanding Sharia-e-Mohammadi just because we are all creatures of Allah. Allah is our creator and he taught us how to live in this world."

"We are demanding a law under which humanity is to be served and without which peace and reconciliation is impossible. As far as the enforcement of the sharia in the Malakand division is concerned, it was just signed in 1994 and 1999, but not implemented by the governments."

Asked to differentiate between the Adal Bills signed by the President of Pakistan in 1994 and 1999 but not approved by Parliament, and the Nizam Adal Regulation that was first passed by parliament and then signed by Pakistan President, he said that in the first instance the Bills were annulled as they were not passed by Parliament. In the second instance, parliament's sanction and ensured that it has become a part of the Constitution.

"According to the Constitution of Pakistan, the Quran and Sunnah would be the supreme law and no other law would be established contrary to it," he emphatically said.

The Taliban, he said, was not trying to run a parallel government in Pakistan, but only working single mindedly towards ensuring that the Quran and Sunnah would be the supreme law in Pakistan and no other law would be established contrary to it.

Asked if he favoured modern education based on science, technology and rationality for both men and women, Sufi said: "We do favour such education both for men and women which is purely based on Islamic principles and in no way colliding with it."

To another question on how the new set up would protect innocent people from tribal lords, Sufi said: The only one law in the world is the 'Heavenly Law' which guarantees justice for both the oppressed and suppressed."

Asked what kind of reforms the Taliban would like to introduce to discourage honour killings in the tribal areas, Sufi said: " In every law, there are different punishments for an offence. In the heavenly system, which we are demanding, the criminal is being punished according to his crime. This will be imposed by the Qazi keeping in view all evidences. No one is allowed to exercise one's wishes."

Asked to comment on a reported move by Pakistan and the United States to torpedo the Sharia laws as espoused by the Pakistan Taliban with the help of the MQM and ML (N), Sufi said: "We do not think so. In case they did, we would take action accordingly."

"Following the golden rules of the Sharia Muhammadi, we could easily protect the people from joint operation of Pakistan Army and US forces," he added.

Asked for his reaction to the Pakistan Government's decision to launch a military operation in the Swat area, Sufi said: " We are a helpless people. But it will not be in the interest of Pakistan Government at all, as they have already signed an agreement with us."

Asked if Taliban will lay down the arms and help to establish writ of the government? Sufi said: "Possible! If they were satisfied."