Qazi Hussain Ahmed addresses a press conference in NWFP - APP photo.

PESHAWAR The outgoing Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, took credit for introducing dharna (sit-in) culture in national politics.

Speaking at the Khyber Union of Journalists' Mulaqaat programme here on Friday, he said that the JI believed in peaceful preaching of the faith therefore they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China to invite atheists towards Islam.

He claimed that the West in the garb of bilateral trade wanted to turn China into a Christian nation by 2050, which was a challenge for the Chinese Muslims, the biggest minority in the socialist country.

'There is ideological vacuum in China and we must fill this vacuum,' he said. When asked, the JI had deviated from its ideological position by signing the MoU with the Chinese Communist Party, he said 'No, no, this is not deviation from our ideology. In fact, the Chinese have deflected from Leninism and Communism, and embraced ideals of market economy.'

He said that there were some separatist Muslim movements in China, but the JI supported 'One China'. He said that it was a golden chance for them to launch a peaceful religious preaching in China.

The JI had assured support to China's national and geographical unity and backed its stance on Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang, he added. He said a JI delegation visited Beijing on the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party in February last.

He said that there were 40 million Muslims in China and being Muslims 'we should not ignore them'. He said that Muslims had sufficient concentration in other parts of China and they needed religious freedom. Qazi Hussain said that Talibanisation could be countered if the 1973 Constitution was promulgated in letter and spirit.

There was revolt in the society against western culture and now it had paved way for Talibanisation and extremism. He said that Islamic system could not be promulgated by implementing Sharia in a small part of the country like in Malakand region.

He proposed that political parties should chalk out a code of conduct like the Charter of Democracy to protect society from polarisation. Mr Hussain advised that political parties should focus on workers' training. He said that workers should think above their parties' interests and give priority to the national interest.

Mr Hussain said that the JI had sacrificed its ideological stand for national interest and signed the 1973 Constitution despite certain reservations. He claimed that the JI was the only party which had maintained discipline, democratic values and properly trained its workers.

There was no other party in the country which regularly conducted party elections to choose office-bearers from top to bottom on merit. The leaders and workers of the JI were accountable for their acts.

He dispelled the impression that the JI was a pro-establishment party and claimed that it always opposed status quo in society.

Responding to another question he alleged that the establishment served interests of the US and supported imperialist powers rather than serving citizens of the country.