09 February 2004	Monday	17 Zilhaj 1424

BANNU, Feb 8: Central president of the Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has failed to deliver social and economic justice to the people.

Speaking at a public meeting here on Sunday he said that leaders ofreligious parties had failed to fulfil the pledges made to the people in the name of Shariat and sent innocent people to Afghanistan to fight along with Taliban militia against the US-led allied forces.

He said that still a large number of Pakistanis were languishing in various prisons in Afghanistan. He said that the six-party religious alliance obtained votes from the masses in the name of Islam, but after coming into power they forgot the enforcement of Shariat in the province.

He said: "Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Maulana Fazlr Rehman had no concern about Shariat. They raise the slogan of Shariat for their personal interests." Mr Asfandyar said that the MMA leaders had never demanded of the president and the prime minister to enforce Islamic laws in the country.

About the debriefing of nuclear scientists, the ANP leader held President Gen Pervez Musharraf and the MMA for the ongoing crises, saying that irresponsible attitude of the MMA harmed the country's nuclear programme.