October 23, 2002	Wednesday	Sha’aban 16,1423

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PESHAWAR, Oct 22: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s nominee for the prime minister’s office and chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam  (JUI) Maulana Fazlur Rehman has vowed  that Pakistan’s soil will not be allowed to be used against any foreign country, if the alliance comes into power.

The Maulana, who is also secretary-general of the MMA, held out an assurance that an investment-friendly environment would be provided  to national and foreign investors, adding that the country’s tax system would be overhauled with the consultations of the business community.

This he said in his address at a function held in connection with the joining of an independent MPA-elect from Abbottabad, Sardar Mohammad Idrees, in JUI(F) here on Tuesday.

Extending invitation to foreign investors, he said the MMA would encourage investors and create conducive atmosphere in the country for investment. He added that Pakistan needed foreign aid to get rid of debt-servicing and to stabilize the crippling economy of the country as well as to improve the standard of the people.

The JUI chief said: “The MMA will never allow any force to use the country’s territory against any country. But, we also expect same response from the international community. The world community should respect our national sovereignty.”

He said the country’s internal security would be improved. However, he stated, Pakistan did not need outside assistance for that matter, saying that they had full capability to cope with the country’s security problems.

He said the MMA wanted good relations with the international community including United States. But, he added, relations would be based on equality, mutual cooperation and understanding, he added.

About foreign policy, he said so far the country did not have any foreign policy and the MMA would accomplish that task. He said it was a tragedy that Pakistan was being run without an independent external policy and completely relied on imported foreign policy.

He said Islam is a divine system which dislikes extremism and urged the party activists to become moderate and adopt themselves in the new trends. He said: “Islam does not permit any person to force a male to sport beard or a female to wear a veil. Islam gives the message of adjustment.”

About the constitutional amendments, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said an individual had no legal authority to amend the Constitution. However, he said, the MMA was ready to review these amendments through mutual consensus. He said they did not reject all amendments brought about by the Musharraf government.

He said they were not against all NGOs and those organizations which were engaged in social welfare activities would be encouraged.