Lahore, Pakistan - Lahore Former Pakistan Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has created ripples in Pakistan’s political and religious circles by saying that the members of the minority Ahmedi sect are his brothers and sisters and that militants should be flushed out wherever they are active.
Speaking a week after 95 Ahmedis were killed during terrorist attacks on two mosques of the sect that has been declared “non-Muslim” under Pakistani laws, Sharif said the Ahmedis too are citizens of the country.
“Ahmadis are our brothers and sisters,” he said. His comments came in the wake of Ahmedi leaders expressing dismay over the Punjab government’s apathetic attitude towards protecting marginalised sections of society.
Sharif further told reporters that militants have no religion or boundaries. "It is useless to identify them with one particular area. They must be chased wherever they were hiding. The government alone cannot fight terrorism, rather nations fight such wars,” he said.
“The entire nation must stand up to the threat because it threatens its existence,” Sharif said.
Over the past few days, there have been repeated calls for action against militants based in southern Punjab who were linked to the attacks on the Ahmedi mosques.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said militants from southern Punjab have joined hands with Taliban and al-Qaeda to destabilise Pakistan. Sharif said action should be taken against the militants, irrespective of where they came from.
“Wherever these militants came from, they played havoc with Lahore. They should be caught and taken to task. Some of them were caught in Lahore and they are giving good leads to their network,” he said.
“People should rest assured that the federal and provincial governments are using all resources to win this war,” Sharif said.
Sharif’s comments on the Ahmedis drew sharp criticism from religious parties like Khatm-e-Nabuwat Movement, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami.