Killing unarmed citizens is no jihad, says Qazi Hussain Ahmed

New Delhi, Feb.10 (ANI): Former Jamait-e-Islami chief and founder of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (United Council of Action ) Qazi Hussain Ahmed has said killing of innocent non-combatant citizens is not jihad.

In an interview to R.C.Ganjoo, published in the Current, a weekly newspaper, Qazi Hussain Ahmed was asked to differentiate between Mujahedeen and terrorists, to which he said: "Killing of innocent non-combatant citizens is not jihad. Resisting an imperialist unjust and tyrannical regime and defending a Muslim land against foreign occupation is jihad in the way of Allah."

Asked about his opinion about the general perception, as per a U.S. report, that Pakistan is now an epicentre of militancy, he said: "Pakistan opposed the Soviet aggression and Mujahideens from all over the world were encouraged to enter Afghanistan through Pakistan. When the same Mujahideen, after the Soviet evacuation, wanted to establish an Islamic government, Taliban force was created to counter them. When the Taliban force was successful to establish a viable government in Afghanistan, it was accused of harbouring Al-Qaeda and working against the US interests.

Afghanistan was subjugated through the use of brutal force, atrocities were perpetrated against Afghans, a bitter war started in Afghanistan between the US-led international forces and Afghans. The condition in Pakistan is a spill over of the Afghan situation."

Speaking about the current political situation in Pakistan, he said: "The Government of Pakistan during Pervez Mushrraf 's military regime became the frontline ally or associate of the United States in its 'war on terror'. It thus, brought the US war to Pakistani territory out of fear of US direct attack on Pakistan of which president Bush had threatened Pervez Mushrraf. The law and order situation and the economy and social structure in Pakistan have suffered badly as a consequence. The antagonists are exploiting this situation.

They have penetrated all institutions in the country and the miscreants armed and trained by them are attacking the police and armed forces and other institutions to create internal security problems for the state."

Replying to a question related to jihad and its relation to the United States, he said: "It is a wrong view based on ignorance that US had mobilized people for the Afghan jihad. The jihad spirit was always there in the Muslims. The US had entered at a later stage when the Afghan resistance had already taken roots. Americans wrongly assumed that they had won the war. The jihad is continuing and it will continue until the total withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan and establishment of a popular Islamic state in Afghanistan, of course at peace with neighbouring countries."

Asked until yesterday Pakistan could balance its relationship between the US and China. What impact will the changing scenario have on the sub-continent, he said: Pakistan and the US have a clash of interests. Pakistan cannot forsake the friendship with China. Pakistan cannot roll back or abandon its nuclear programme. It cannot abandon its Islamic ideology.

Pakistan cannot be used against Islamic sentiments of its own population for long time. The anti-American sentiment in Pakistan is on the rise and the Pakistani people consider China as their true and trusted friend. It is therefore not possible that Pakistan will abandon China for the US.

When asked if successive governments in Pakistan were encouraging ethnic divisions, he said: "Pakistan is presently ruled by a class of people who are essentially secular. They are not interested in the Islamic ideology of the state, which is the basis of Pakistan and the major cementing force between different ethnic groups."

Asked about the US consistent blamed on Pakistan for providing a safe haven to the Taliban and Osama-bin-Laden, he said: "The tribal territory on the Pak-Afghan border could not be subjugated by any power throughout history. Every regime has had to control this territory by entering into agreements with the tribes and giving respect to their local customs. The Pakistani government under US pressure is applying force against them. This will not succeed."

Replying to a question stating US mobilized Muslims for the Afghan war in the name of jihad and Pakistan's state and non-state actors played a vital role in it, ddid he think it was really a jihad or a part of cold war, he said: "It is a wrong view based on ignorance that US had mobilized people for the Afghan jihad. The jihad spirit was always there in the Muslims. The US had entered at a later stage when the Afghan resistance had already taken roots. Americans wrongly assumed that they had won the war. The jihad is continuing and it will continue until the total withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan and establishment of a popular Islamic state in Afghanistan, of course at peace with neighbouring countries."

Born at Ziarat Kaka Sahib in Nowshera, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan in 1938, Qazi Hussain Ahmed is considered a demagogue. Ahmad held the post of Jammat-e-Islami Chief from 1987 to 2009. He created the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (United Council of Action) a coalition of religion-based parties to oppose General Pervez Musharraf's dictatorship.

Ahmed played a pivotal role in bringing the Mujahideen resistance to the Soviet Union in Afghanistan to wider international notice and then played a similar role during the Gulf wars, the Bosnia crisis and during the post-Soviet power struggle in Afghanistan. Of late he has taken a stand vehemently opposing the Pakistan establishment's pro-USA stance and is involved in mobilising opposition in Pakistan against the USA-Pakistan relationship. (ANI)