NOWSHERA: Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Samiul Haq has announced full support for the new Afghan Taliban chief Maulana Akhtar Mansoor, and urged all jihadi groups to shun differences and accept his leadership.

He was addressing ulema of Pakistan and Afghanistan at the inaugural ceremony of the new education year at Darul Uloom-i-Haqania here on Wednesday.

Samiul Haq said it was need of the hour to stand united against foreign powers as they were hatching conspiracies against Afghan people who had rendered sacrifices of their lives for freeing their country from ‘foreign occupation’.

He appreciated the role of Taliban fighters for ‘forcing’ the US and former USSR to quit Afghanistan. He paid homage to Mullah Omar, and said late Taliban chief would be remembered as a great commander like Khalid Bin Waleed, Salahuddin Ayoubi and Tipu Sultan in Muslim history.

He urged the students of his madrassah to adopt golden principles of tolerance, sacrifice and sympathy.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2015

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