March 9, 2002	Saturday	Zilhaj 24, 1422

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ISLAMABAD March 8: The detained JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman has given a go-ahead to his party to strengthen the newly-formed alliance of religio-political parties “Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal” (United Action Conference) to serve as an effective elec-toral alliance for the coming election.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, secretary general of Jamial Ulema Islam (JUI), who met the party chief at Chashma resthouse near Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday, told Dawn here on Friday that Maulana Fazlur Rahman was briefed by him on recent meetings of Majlis-i-Amal and the APC convened by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan in Lahore.

Maulana Fazl, he said, was extremely perturbed over reports of American pressure on the government for doing away with the constitutional article declaring Qadianis as non-Muslim.

He demanded that the government should register its protest to the US Congress for moving a resolution to this effect as an act of interference in our internal affairs.

The JUI leader said that the Majlis had appointed its manifesto committee comprising Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Syed Munawar Hasan, K.M. Azhar, Prof Sajid Meer and Abdur Rauf Farooqi. The committee will start work forthwith to prepare a manifesto for the October polls.

Maulana Fazlur Rahman, he said, had instructed him to keep close contact with all the like-minded political parties and whoever showed interest in entering into an electoral alliance.

The JUI chief also discussed the issue of constitutional amendments being proposed in the 1973 Constitution and said that no amendment could be valid unless it was approved by an elected parliament.

He said all political parties should create consensus on resisting any attempt at changing the character of an agreed national constitution.

He said the party meeting would be convened as soon as the Maulana was released. When asked about the chances of his release, Hafiz said, “we expect him to be freed in the next few days”.

It may be mentioned that Maulana Fazlur Rahman is undergoing house arrest since December last and has recently been shifted to the peaceful Chashma resthouse.