07 February 2004	Saturday	15 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 6: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal central leader Syed Munawar Hassan has demanded the release of Dr A.Q. Khan; permission for meeting his family members and lawyer ; as well as allowing him to hold news conference for explaining his position so that truth about the nuclear crisis could be brought in the knowledge of the nation."

Addressing a news conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq on Friday, Syed Munawar Hassan also demanded that the letter sent by the International Atomic Energy Agency to the government should be released to the press together with its reply, if any, so that the people of Pakistan could be aware of the truth.

Mr Hassan claimed that countrywide strike was a pronouncement against the government's stance on the issue. Mr Hassan alleged that despite arm twisting policies of the provincial government in Sindh; arrest of 100 activists and MQM's call to fail the strike call, traders and transporters demonstrated their support for Dr Khan by keeping their shops in major markets closed and keeping their vehicles generally off the road.

He described Dr A.Q. Khan as the most respected personality after Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal. He demanded accountability of the military as only civilians could not be made the scapegoat.

The MMA leader was of the view that if Dr Khan was allowed to speak his mind freely, and not made a prisoner in the name of enhancing his security, he would have defiantly disclosed names of men in uniform and scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom and other countries who were involved in proliferation.

He feared that the UN security council might impose sanctions against Pakistan following actions taken against nuclear scientists. He alleged that actions taken by the government were leading us to a situation where we could be declared a rogue state.

He said that all these years the people were told that Pakistan's nuclear programme was in safe hands and the credit for that was taken by the men in uniform. "If that was true they (men in uniform) should also take the discredit," he added.

Syed Munawar Hasan said that instead of targeting Pakistan, the world community should explain as to how Israel and India became nuclear powers and with whose help. Germany and Japan were also said to have acquired that capability.

He alleged that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) by its stance had proved that it shared the agenda of General Musharraf.

Terming the strike on MMA's call a "great success", he said despite all possible efforts by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, governor and law enforcement agencies, citizens, traders and transporters expressed solidarity with Dr and other nuclear scientists by remaining at their homes, adds PPI.

Demanding release of over 100 MMA activists, arrested by the police from various localities during the strike on Friday, he said unfortunately no general including General Yahya Khan and General Niazi were asked to seek pardon or done so voluntarily from the nation.

Bitterly criticizing President Musharraf and the last six chiefs of army staff, he said if Dr Khan was allowed to speak publicly, he would have definitely presented the actual situation and name all those generals and international scientists, who were directly or indirectly involved in alleged nuclear proliferation activities.

He vowed that despite threats by the President Musharraf and his anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam policies, the MMA would continue its campaign to mobilize the masses against the US and its agents in the country.

Other MMA leaders, including Allama Hasan Turabi, Serajul Haq, Hafiz Muhammad Taqi, Shaikh Rafique Ahmed, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid, Muhammad Hussain Mehnti, Abdul Sattar Afghani and Muhammad Laiq Khan were also present on the occasion.