A visiting minister from Pakistan has praised the assistance King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has extended to his country in all times of crises. Tasneem Ahmad Qureyshi, Federal Minister for State Internal Affairs, was speaking at a meeting organized in his honor by Goldsmiths Association, Jeddah on Friday night. The meeting was presided over by Raja Akram, Chairman of the Association. Referring to the insurgency in Malakand Division, Qureyshi said enforcement of the Shariah law in Malakand and Swat was passed by the National Assembly on popular demand. But, he said, it is observed that the insurgents are challenging the writ of the government and want to bifurcate Pakistan and form a state of their own. He said President Asif Zardari, on a recent visit to Italy has denied that the insurgents were the product of Pakistan itself. President Zardari has rightly maintained that the Taleban came into existence when the US helped the Afghans against Russian occupation. “Now they are those who are rising against the US and trying to form a state of their own in Afghanistan and Pakistan taking advantage of the difficult mountainous terrain along the borders,” he said. Pakistan is doubly affected by two wars: one war is against the Taleban, and the other is the need to deal with two million displaced persons, he said. The second war, he said, cannot be won without the outright support of the Pakistani people and the international community. Qureyshi said that the displaced persons have left their homes because of the war against the Taleban. The Taleban are now using those remaining as human shields and have placed dynamite at all exit points to stop them from leaving. Qureyshi appealed to all Pakistanis and other dignitaries present at the meeting to help Pakistan survive this great crisis.
