‘Stop blaming any group for London blasts without proof’

* PML-N spokesman says terrorists working in guise of Al Qaeda must be tracked down

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Central Information Secretary Muhammad Siddiqul Farooque said on Friday that it was quite irrational to blame any Muslim group for the Thursday’s explosions in London before an inquiry.

In a statement issued here, Mr Farooque expressed shock and grief at the loss of human lives in London. He said that the people responsible for the attacks should be brought to justice if proved that the explosions were engineered by some miscreants rather than caused by a sudden power surge.

The PML-N leader said that no Muslim could carry out such barbaric activities. Terrorism and armed struggles for freedom have been going on in the world since the times of colonial rule mainly due to tyranny, exploitation, injustice and inequality, he said, adding that if the world community was really interested in eliminating terrorism and armed struggles, it should give priority to removing causes behind such struggles.

All political issues, including Palestine and Kashmir – based on fundamental human rights – should be settled on human grounds rather than on religious, regional and linguistic basis, he said, adding that those fighting for their rights should be granted general amnesty and honourable position in society.

The PML-N leader said that President General Pervez Musharraf, US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair had categorically claimed to have broken the back of the Al Qaeda network. “Terrorists working in guise of Al Qaeda should be tracked down without any delay,” he added. Mr Farooque suggested that armed forces – occupying Iraq and Palestinian territory – be withdrawn, governments having no roots in public be removed, and transparent elections be held there to empower local people.

He said propaganda against Islam and Muslims and discriminatory treatment in reaction to terrorist incidents should be stopped. It must be realised that crime and criminals exist in every society – eastern or western – as they do not belong to any particular religion or race, he added.

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