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British Government flayed for denying visa to Qazi Hussain Ahmed
LONDON, Nov 6 (APP)- Former senior minister of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province Siraj-ul-Haq together with the head of UK Islamic Mission Maulana Sarfraz Madni have criticised the British Government for cancelling the visa of former Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed on the basis of false report appearing in a British daily.Speaking at a news conference in Central London on Friday evening, they said the visa to the veteran Jamaat leader was issued on October 6 but the following day it was cancelled by the Home Secretary after a story appeared in a Scotland’s Daily Mail which they described as baseless and which had claimed that Qazi Hussain Ahmed had spoken in support of suicide bombers.According to Maulana Madni, the Qazi was to visit the United Kingdom on a fundraising tour to collect money for a mosque cum community centre which UKIM is planning to construct in Oldham, north west England.
Maulana Madni said the charity organisation had planned to raise four million pounds to convert a disused call centre into a new facility for the Muslim community of the area through charity events in which Qazi Hussain Ahmed was to be the keynote speaker.
He said because of this development they had to cancel these events and incurred financial loss. The Maulana expressed his dismay and disappointment over the cancellation of visa and said the ex-Jamaat leader was in the past invited as UK Government guest and had been to this country on a number of occasions and never spoke in favour of suicide bombers or made any controversial statements.
Responding to questions, Maulana Madni said the British High Commission officials in Islamabad expressed their regrets over the decision to cancel the visa. He said UKIM was in touch with UK parliamentarians who have brought the issue to the notice of the Home Secretary.
He said UKIM is a non political organisation working in the UK since 1962 and involved in humanitarian and charity work and never broken any British law.
Siraj-ul-Haq said the decision to withdraw the visa of Qazi Hussain Ahmed has given strong weight to stories about Pakistanis being discriminated by the UK immigration authorities.
While on the other hand, he added, the UK Government has allowed a former military ruler to live in this country without taking into account his anti-democracy measures.
The former frontier minister also expressed his disappointment over the failure to introduce reforms in FATA and the withdrawal of century old Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) promised when the new government came into power following 2008 general elections.
He was generally critical of the current political situation in the country and the economic hardships being faced by the people. Haq said the Federal Government needs to take immediate steps to provide relief to the common man by plugging tax evasion, corruption and maladministration.
Nevertheless, despite these problems, the senior JI leader said they want the present Government to complete its five-year term. “We support democracy and desire that it should be further consolidated and strengthen. We want only voters to change the government through the power of ballot boxes and not by any other harsh means.”
Siraj-ul-Haq appreciated the services rendered by UKIM for the flood affected people in Pakistan and in particular in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and said the organisation is also involved in the post flood reconstruction and helping the people to resume their normal lives.
Courtesy www.app.com.pk