LAHORE : The business community on Monday strongly condemned the irresponsible and misleading statement of Jamaat-i-Islami chief Munawar Hassan, declaring dead terrorists as martyrs, while insulting the martyrdom of thousands of innocent Pakistanis and soldiers of Pakistan’s armed forces.  Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman Major (r) Akhtar Nazir Khan Cooki described the JI chief’s remarks as a big shock for the nation and said that rejecting sacrifices of thousands of martyrs of army personnel, police and paramilitary forces is condemnable and the nation cannot support such views.
The APCMEA chairman, who is retired major and also president of Retired Officers of First War Course, said the JI chief’s statement reflected his party’s line and policies, adding that Mr Hassan badly hurt the feelings of families of the martyrs who had died in the war against terrorism.
Major Cooki condemned Mr Hassan’s statement and urged him to retract it. He said the JI chief should also describe the status of thousands of innocent citizens killed in terrorist attacks. How Mr Hassan will describe the innocent people who were killed indiscriminately in attacks on mosques, imambargahs, churches and markets, he asked. He was of the opinion that the statements of the religious leader has hurt the sentiments of most Pakistanis.