KARACHI, Oct 13: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal will strive to be a coalition partner in the federal and provincial governments on the principles of understanding with the parties mandated by people for restoration of national prestige, sovereignty and democratic order, MMA leader Prof Ghafoor Ahmad said on Sunday.
“If we can reach an understanding with PPP in 1973, which resulted in giving the country the Constitution, we are ready to follow the same path of cooperation in the national interest,” he said while addressing a public meeting held to observe a “thanksgiving day” on the victory of the alliance in the elections.
Prof Ghafoor, deputy chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, presided over the meeting in place of Allama Shah Ahmad Noorani, who could not make it due to his indisposition.
He said: “We harbour no enmity with anyone. The MMA’s victory in the elections has laid the foundation for enforcement of Islamic system in the country and a welfare and democratic order would usher in the country, which would look after fundamental needs of the people, ensure justice with all, protect the minorities, women would be provided opportunities to play their role in development and reconstruction of the country and welfare of the society.”
The original venue of the meeting was Nishtar Park but its permission was cancelled by the administration abruptly and the organizers were informed of the decision at around 3pm. The alliance was allowed to hold the meeting at “Shuhada Ground” near Idara Noor-i-Haq, behind Dawood College.
The sudden change of the venue caused inconvenience to the organizers and participants. However, the MMA managed to hold the meeting at around 6.30pm and the crowd spilled over to the streets from the smaller venue.
The participants were holding hundreds of MMA flags and placards with slogans against change in the polls results. The meeting was punctuated with vociferous slogans.
The elected members of national and provincial assemblies were called on the stage and garlanded.
Prof Ghafoor warned of serious consequences if the mandate of the people was not recognized and obstacles were created in the formation of the government.
He said the Ulema’s unity and their platform had come to stay and they would see to it that their manifesto was implemented in letter and spirit.
Assuring industrialists and the business community of ending the extortion culture, he said that MMA would work out a just distribution of wealth and remove inequalities from the society.
Prof Ghafoor said the MMA would like to have strong ties with Muslim countries and friendly bilateral relations with others, including the US. “We would provide relief to the people by elimination of unemployment and poverty, while youth would be provided opportunities of learning.”
He said efforts were being made to declare elected candidates of MMA as defeated and polling stations were taken over in the presence of police, rangers and personnel of other law enforcement agencies.
The responsibility did not lie with the chief election commissioner but with the army chief, he said.
Prof Ghafoor alleged that the government had appeased the Muttahida Qaumi Movement by giving seats to its defeated candidates as ballot boxes were packed by bogus voting in the presence of LEA personnel.
He said the night of oppression and injustices would come to an end and MMA would bring a new era in the country.
JI Secretary-General Syed Munawwar Hasan said that the government after breaking all records of pre-poll rigging had also crossed the post-poll rigging record.
He warned the authorities against manipulation to declare MQM candidates successful in the constituencies where MMA had received mandate from the people.
He warned that any efforts to impose extortionists on the people of Karachi could spark a movement beyond the control of the government.
Sindh MMA President Assadullah Bhutto said that the people had strengthened the ideology of Pakistan and Islam by giving their mandate in favour of the MMA. He said there was no need to strengthen Gen Musharaf and only democracy and the country should be strengthened.
Allama Hasan Turabi said that MMA was on the march to victory as all Shia, Sunni, Devbadi, Barelvi and Ahl-i-Hadith were united on a platform and the US and its supporters would find no place for themselves.
Maulana Abdul Karim Abid said the people of Karachi would not allow the Islamic identity of the city to diminish.
Hafiz Mohammad Taqi condemned the authorities for showing elected candidates of MMA as defeated.
Nasrullah Khan said MMA had won 17 provincial and nine National Assembly seats in Karachi but the administration reduced their strength through rigging.
KARACHI, Oct 13: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal will strive to be a coalition partner in the federal and provincial governments on the principles of understanding with the parties mandated by people for restoration of national prestige, sovereignty and democratic order, MMA leader Prof Ghafoor Ahmad said on Sunday.
