'Jamaat-ud-Dawa, LeT men are patriotic, have all the right to do politics'

KARACHI: A month after claiming that he is the biggest supporter of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Saturday said he is ready to enter into an alliance with the two parties for “Pakistan’s safety and security”, ARY News reported.

“They (LeT and JuD men) are patriotic people, they have laid their lives for Pakistan, who can object if they form a political party,” said Musharraf.

He added that so far the two parties have not approached him but if they desire to enter into an alliance with his party, he has no objection.

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Last month, during ARY News talk show 11th Hour, the former military dictator had said that he is the biggest supporter of LeT and Hafiz Saeed-led JuD.

Answering a question about the 23-party alliance under his leadership, he defended the inclusion of religious parties in the alliance by saying that inclusion of such parties was “requirement of the day”.

“I am a liberal and a moderate but that doesn’t mean that I detest religious elements, I am the biggest supporter of Lashkar-e-Taiba and I know that they too like me, the people from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa,” said Musharraf.

Musharraf, during his tenure as chief executive and president of the country flaunted “enlightened moderation” as the goal to promote tolerance and modernize the country.

Last month, Musharraf announced to lead a grand alliance of 23 political parties including the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Sunni Itehad Council, Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, Muslim Conference (Kashmir), PML-Junejo, PML-Council, PML- National, Awami League, Pak Muslim Alliance, Pakistan Mazdoor Ittehad, Conservative Party, Muhajir Ittehad Tehreek, Pakistan Insani Huqooq Party, Millat Party, Jamiat Ulma Pakistan (Niazi Group), Aam Loug Party, Aam Admi Party, Pakistan Masawat Party, Pakistan Minority Party, Jamiat Mashaikh Pakistan and Social Justice Democratic Party.