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Pakistan rejects US criticism at Shariah regulations implementation

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, April 16, IRNA -- Pakistan Wednesday rejected US objections at introduction of Shariah regulations in parts of country's northwest including insurgency-hit Swat and said the system will bring peace and development in region.

The White House had on Tuesday said that the Obama Administration believed that ‘solutions involving security in Pakistan don't include less democracy and less human-rights.'

"We are a democratic country and we attach importance to democracy and human rights and will not compromise on these issues,” Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said, when his reaction was sought to the US criticism.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has been quoted as saying in a statement that the "signing of that denoting strict Islamic law in the Swat valley goes against both of those principles."

“Nizam Adl is a justice system and a local arrangement,” said, Abdul Basit.

The spokesman alos said that the system would bring about peace and prosperity and enhance development in the region.

A think tank in the US also expressed reservations over the agreement and even said that it will create tension between the two countries.

Sufi Muhamamd, the chief of banned Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi also angrily reacted to the US criticism at his news conference on Wednesday and said that the "non-Muslims have always opposed Islamic laws."

The Afghan Government has also come up with a similar criticism at ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ regulations and the spokesman for President Karzai warned that Pakistan’s deal with the Taliban will have “dire consequences” for the region and could harm ties between the two neighbours.

Criticism by Karzai’s spokesman at the Pakistan’s peace deal has surprized many here as the Afghan President has himself called for talks with the Taliban since long ago.

President Karzai, in his Eid prayers' message had even invited the Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid, to come to Kabul and vowed that he will himslef protect him.

Karzai’s brother was part of the Afghan delegation in talks in the Saudi Arabia on at least two occasions, according to Afghan sources.