London, UK, December 3 2008 – While ordinary people across the world have been shocked by the Mumbai attacks, politicians in India and the United States have chosen to exploit the situation for their own political ends. In response, President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani have repeated their unconditional cooperation with India giving the Indians what appears to be a blank cheque to do whatever they wish with Pakistan.

Taji Mustafa, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain said: “It is well known that Hizb ut Tahrir holds the opinion from Islam that it is forbidden to attack and kill innocent people. Yet, that does not excuse the dangerously weak and irresponsible response of the Pakistan government faced with serious threats against the country.”

“India’s premature blaming of Muslims from Britain and then retracting this and then pointing the finger at Pakistan indicates how this incident is being used to further their political agenda. We should not forget how the United States used its political capital from the 9/11 attacks to launch two wars.”

“India has an obvious desire to deflect attention from its own security failings and its abuses in Kashmir, where security services routinely imprison, torture, kill and rape without fear of criticism from the US and its allies. Zardari and Gilani could have exposed these issues instead of colluding with India.”

“Meanwhile, Pakistan is being pressurised to maintain its troops on its western border to keep fighting America’s war, weakening its eastern frontier. Furthermore, it could remind the world that India has a history of political violence of its own making, without any need of outside interference. Two of its Prime Ministers were murdered by Sikh separatists and by Tamil militants.”

“President-elect Obama has increased the rhetoric by describing the region as the ‘single most important threat against the American people’ and that the US would ‘have to bring the full force of our power – not only military but also diplomatic, economic and political – to deal with those threats.’ These statements indicate that the only change Obama will bring is a ‘surge’ in death, destruction and havoc to Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

“The reality is that the spineless Zardari-Gilani government will do no more than facilitate the US/Indian plan to weaken and dismember Pakistan. Pakistan faces a crisis unprecedented in her history. The only way to save the country is to establish a sincere Islamic leadership, a Khilafah that will unify the country and defend her from the state terrorism that is raging on her western and eastern borders.”

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