Religious leaders urge govt to remain firm on its stance

ISLAMABAD - Since Pakistan remained firm to its stance by not participating in Bonn Conference, the religious party leaders have urged the incumbent government not to change its stance over Natos supply line which has been suspended for the last over two weeks. The government should not surrender on any 'telephone call and remain firm to its stance, which the Pakistan has taken by shutting down Natos vital supply line into Afghanistan and ordered American personnel to leave Shamsi Airbase. The government should not change its stance on this defining moment, said Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader, former Senator Fareed Paracha, while talking to TheNation. The issue of memo should also be properly probed and President Asif Ali Zardari should take the Parliament into confident about it in his address to the joint session. To a question about the proposal of PML(N) for a special judicial tribunal to scrutinise the details of assets of all the politicians, he said that only media trial of political parties was not enough. Political gimmick would not work in this issue and election commission and government can probe the assets, he added. When contacted, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) spokesman Maulana Amjad Khan said that government should remains firm to its stance over suspension of Nato supply and other decision. The decisions of Defence committee should be followed as its a test case for government, he added. To a question about PML(N) proposal for tribunal to scrutinise the assets, JUI-F leader said that these are things are not the solution of problem. Issues of masses should be resolved on priority basis, he said. When asked about the introduction of the bill for assets in the Parliament by PML(N), he said that his party will give its stance once the bill is introduced in the National Assembly (NA). To a question about memo scandal, he said that government should thoroughly probe into this matter and take the Parliament into confidence on this issue. It is relevant to mention here that in the wake of the strikes, Pakistan decided not to take part in the Bonn Conference on the future of Afghanistan that opened on Monday. Pakistan has also shut down Natos vital supply line and ordered American personnel to leave Shamsi Airbase.

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