A former Pakistan military official who is now the Parliamentary Secretary of Defence disclosed before the National Assembly that he was an activist of the banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
"I want to inform the house that I have been a member of this organisation," retired Major Tanvir Hussain Syed who later joined ruling pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Q, said in the assembly.
Hussain was taking part in the assembly debate on the Pakistan army attack on a madrassa in Bajaur tribal area that killed 80 persons and the subsequent suicide bomb attack on Pakistani troops in Dargai in which 42 soldiers were killed.
"The government wanted to resolve all disputes through dialogue, but if someone opens fire on the army, our jawans will reply," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Times. Hussain, however, did not explain what role he played in Lashkar, whose leader Hafeez Sayeed has started yet another outfit called Jamat-ud-Dawa.
Another newspaper, The Post, quoted him as saying that he was still a member of the banned outfit.
"I am still a member of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. I go to its congregations and deliver speeches," he said.
He said he has no hesitation in swimming against the tide even though the government is trying to wash away the pro-jihad past from the memories of its people.
He added that he extends support to jihadi activists when they approach him, though he did not clarify the nature of support.
