LAHORE: A senior leader of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has termed the recent statement of party Chief Syed Munawar Hassan over status of the martyrs of Pakistan Army during the war against terrorism as his personal opinion and not of the party.
The JI leader Farid Paracha said that the party would definitely respond to the army’s reaction and soon release an official statement after a meeting of its Shura which had been convened on Monday to mull over party chief’s statement on martyrs of Pakistan army.
“Decisions to speak on various issues of national interest are taken by the party’s supreme council (Shura). The JI will respond in detail after discussing the matter at the meeting. Till a final decision by the Shura, the party will consider Mr Hassan’s statement as his personal opinion,” the JI leader said.
Paracha said the JI founder Maulana Maudoodi had always described his statements on certain matters relating to Fiqah as his personal opinion.
“In this situation, the JI amir might have followed Maulana Maudoodi,” he added.
The JI leader said the party had always supported the armed forces on important issues of national interest. He said the party never thought of making insulting remarks about the military, adding that the army had reacted to the JI chief’s statement in haste.