The Hindu Business Line : `We want peace but on an equal footing' — Mr Muhammed Hussein Mehanti, Muttahida Majlise Ama member of Pakistan Parliament

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`We want peace but on an equal footing' — Mr Muhammed Hussein Mehanti, Muttahida Majlise Ama member of Pakistan Parliament

Rasheeda Bhagat

India should not think that because of its big size and big weaponry, it can dictate to Pakistan. That is not acceptable. And that holds true for the US too. There cannot be hegemony of one power.

recently in Karachi

The Islamic parties have a negative image because of "Western propaganda" and the West creating "an artificial enemy whom they called militancy or extremism," says Mr Muhammed Hussein Mehanti, a member of Pakistan Parliament belonging to the MMA (Muttahida Majlise Ama — a group of six Islamic parties) and a Karachi-based businessman, in an interview to Business line.

Excerpts from the interview:

What is the mood within the MMA on the peace initiative with India?

We feel that the tension is over. Because of the fear of war, our businesses, exports, etc., were hurt. Now things are better and people are happy. The biggest problem is Kashmir, but Vajpayee Saheb saying during SAARC that we will talk on Kashmir too, is being interpreted here to mean that India has realised that problems can be solved only through talk and peace and not by enmity and war. I hope we will be able to solve all the problems.

What is Vajpayee's image here? Do people trust him?

Here, the image of BJP is not good, particularly because of the communal carnage in Gujarat and the Babri masjid issue. But after the SAARC summit, Mr Vajpayee has given the hope that there is change of heart in India and it realises the need for peace.

How important do you think is cricket?

Very important, because sports and cultural ties can do a lot to improve relations. In games like hockey and cricket, the fighting spirit comes into play, resulting in a better game and a keener fight.

So the MMA welcomes the cricket series?

Of course. We should be able to stomach each other's victory; there should be the sporting spirit... If India wins in Pakistan, we should be able to digest it and vice-versa.

How safe will the Indian cricketers be here?

Very safe. Unfortunately, the world over, the image of Karachi has been portrayed very negatively; but Insha Allah, we will see to it that they are our guests and will have the best security and hospitality.

Almost everybody in India and Pakistan has a solution on Kashmir! What is yours?

There are three parties to the dispute: India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris. They should also be included in any dialogue. We cannot decide for them or impose our decision on them. You should take the Hurriyat and others into confidence.

Do you also advocate plebiscite?

Yes, let them decide whether they want to go with India or Pakistan, and also give them the third option of azadi.

Do the Islamic parties want peace with India?

Of course. But it should be on an equal footing. India should not think that because of its big size and big weaponry, it can dictate to Pakistan. That is not acceptable. And that holds true for the US too. There cannot be hegemony of one power.

You mentioned the US. Right now, Gen. Musharraf is very close to the US. Do you think the US is treating Pakistan with respect... particularly on the nuclear issue pertaining to Dr A. Q. Khan?

We feel that our existing Government, particularly Gen. Musharraf, is under the undue influence of the US and dancing to its tunes. And the treatment meted out to Dr Khan is not correct. The person who worked so hard to make Pakistan a secure and strong country, should not have been treated like this. In this matter, it was not only Dr Khan; many other segments of government were also involved, but they were let off and only Dr Khan was humiliated. That was not correct. We gave a call for hartal and the response was good. We are concerned about his health and the future. He was living outside Paksitan, the government got him here and now to please the US, he has been humiliated.

I feel very sad to say that India made Dr Abdul Kalam, your nuclear scientist, President and we made our nuclear scientist apologise and put him under house arrest. This is the difference between India and Pakistan. In India, all sections of society are involved in any decision, but in Pakistan only the army makes the vital decisions.

But, now, you do have a government and Parliament in place.

Oh yes, the Parliament is very much there and I am a member of Parliament but unfortunately such issues are rarely debated in Parliament, and the decisions are taken by the army leaders sitting in their palaces.

But isn't the Cabinet supposed to have pardoned him, or was that a mere show?

It was just a question of completing formalities; the real decision was taken by the President.

Do you think he will give up his uniform by the end of the year, as promised?

There is a clause in the Constitution that he will not hold two positions after December 31 and he will have to uphold Constitutional, legal and moral requirements. If he is not going to do so, Pakistan will see a crisis.

Earlier, the Islamic parties were not so popular in Pakistan; they did badly in elections. But this time you got elected in such large numbers. Why?

The big reason was a change in both the international and domestic scenario. We have 67 MNAs in a House of 342; which is 20 per cent. After what the US did in Afghanistan, our parties were the only ones that resisted our Government's U-turn on Afghanistan. We organised `a million' march, went to the public, etc. Thanks to that, the MMA became active in the field and the people felt that if any entity or political group could take on the US it was only the MMA.

Another thing is that Islam has been under attack from the Americans and the Government criticised our religious organisation and jehad institutions. The only entity that resisted the government on this move was the MMA and the people admired us for this and thought that if Islam and its ways were to be protected then we had to be patronised.

Do you think one day you will rule Pakistan?

Yes, at this moment, the kind of positive response we have got and we worked a lot on the LFO (Legal Framework Order) issue to establish and prove Parliament's supremacy in this country.

But you have not joined the government?

No, we support the government on issues; and when it goes wrong, we oppose it.

But the reputation and record of Islamic parties on women's rights and education has not been good. Your comments.

That is wrong; we have a women's wing that is very active and we have given all the rights to women. But the world trend of modernism, where they want the women to come out of their traditional culture and dress in modern clothes; we don't accept that. We have our religion, culture and tradition that we have to maintain. But we have nothing against educating women, encouraging them to become Members of Parliament and taking on professions. But they have certain restrictions in dress, such as purdah and they should maintain that.

How worried are you at this new trend of equating Islam with jehad...

The problem with the Muslim community is that it has never come together to challenge the West. After the Cold War was over, the West created an artificial enemy whom they called militancy or extremism — this is all their nomenclature — and started attacking Islam by saying the Muslims are terrorists.

It made Afghanistan and Iraq targets and brought pressure on Libya Pakistan, Iran, etc, in the hope that Muslims world will become subservient to it.

But I say that India, Pakistan and the entire Asia, with the oldest culture and largest population, should not come under the pressure of the western forces, or become toys in their hands.

We are two poor countries with many problems. We should concentrate on solving our problems instead of walking a path dictated to us by the Americans. We feel that the US has linked India with Israel so that they could work against Muslims... which is not good for India. Both the US and Israel want us to get into an arms race so that their weapon manufacturing facilities can thrive. We should not fall into that trap.

Do you think Gen. Musharraf's economic policies have been good for Pakistan?

Here too, geo-politics has played a role. Thanks to the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan started getting funds. Pakistanis used to remit money home unofficially and used to keep some savings abroad. But after 9/11, Americans have created such adverse conditions that Pakistanis living in the West have no other option than sending their money home through regular banking channels. Thanks to this, our forex reserves have increased to $12 billion. But the industrial scene in Pakistan is bad and many industries are closing down.

In which sectors?

We are competitive in textiles, but in other sectors, there is slackness, and due to the closure of industries unemployment has increased. The economic situation is not that rosy... there is some crisis on wheat and cotton; we exported wheat at cheap prices but when we want to import it the price is high. I do not think that the government's policies are taking the country towards economic prosperity. They talk of anti-corruption but are fully steeped in corruption and, hence, we are not able to progress.

Can you claim that the MMA constituents are clean?

Till today, there have been no allegations against our MMA'son charges of corruption. Hum log badi simple life guzartey hei (We lead a simple life) and have no pomp or show.

Yes, relatively, your image is clean.

Islam says that both rishwat dene aur lene wala (the one who gives or takes bribe) will go to hell. We believe in our religious teachings that say that taking a bribe is like putting fire into your belly. And we preach this on Fridays, etc. So there is some fear. We are in power in the Frontier and no finger has been pointed at any of our ministers for being involved in any corruption

But the media image of the Islamic parties is so negative. Why?

This is an international phenomenon... otherwise, we are good people and our credibility among the masses is high as we speak on their behalf on many issues. And people are satisfied with our performance.

Response can be sent to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in

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