RAWALPINDI, Aug 15: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Thursday reiterated its opposition to the Legal Framework Order (LFO) and vowed to strive for the supremacy of the Constitution and stability of the democratic institutions.

The MMA leaders were addressing a rally at Liaquat Bagh in connection with the Independence Day.

The Alliance leaders advised the government against sending troops to Iraq, saying the move would hurt the Iraqi Muslims. They said any attempt to recognize Israel would be seen as a conspiracy against Islam.

MMA Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rehman cautioned that any move aimed at damaging the supremacy of the Constitution would endanger the country’s solidarity and integrity. He maintained that only the unanimously approved 1973 Constitution could protect the ideology of the country, its Islamic values and rights of the people.

He urged the people to strengthen the MMA, as it alone had the capacity to pull the country out of the crises. Mr Rehman said the country’s sovereignty needed to be protected.

He criticised the US presence in the region and said the operations of the US agencies in the country and the situation along the Pak-Afghan border was unacceptable to the Alliance and majority of the people. He asked the governments of India and Pakistan to hold a dialogue on all outstanding issued for a lasting peace in the region.

JIi chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed expressed the Alliance’s desire for supporting Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali. He regretted that democracy could not take roots in the country due to continuous interference of the undemocratic forces. He said MMA would stage a sit-in if the federal government did not accede to the MMA’s demands on the LFO.

Maulana Noorani said the MMA would act as the people’s voice to protect their social and economic rights. Allama Sajid Naqvi said the LFO was negation of democracy and asked the people to forge unity in their ranks for establishment of an egalitarian society.