LAHORE, Aug 20: The MMA on Wednesday lodged a protest against the raids the FBI had carried out on the houses in Peshawar in the name of arresting Al Qaeda activists and said it would resist such operations.

Asked why the religious alliance, which is in power in the NWFP, had allowed the provincial law enforcement agencies to take part in the Aug 15 raid on a house in Hayatabad, Jamaat-i-Islami information secretary Amirul Azeem said that federal agencies had misguided them.

He said the NWFP police were told that some Northern Alliance activists had taken shelter in the area and were planning to undertake some sabotage act.

However, Mr Azeem said, the NWFP chief minister would soon lodge a formal protest with the federal government in this regard.

About differences between the ARD and the MMA, he said the latter could not be held responsible for it. He said when all opposition parties had welcomed Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali’s talks offer on the floor of the house then there was no justification for dragging feet later.