01 March 2004	Monday	09 Muharram 1425

MANSEHRA, Feb 29: Member of the National Assembly and former federal minister Ijazul Haq has said that all factions of the Pakistan Muslim League, except PML-N, will merge into a single party under the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at a meeting scheduled on March 7.

He was talking to newsmen after a function organized by a local NGO here on Sunday. He said that doors of the Muslim League were open for the PML-N and it would be accepted in the fold of united Muslim League only after it quit the ARD.

He said that unification of all factions of the Muslim League was a call of the time in view of the internal political situation and external strategic scenario.

Mr Ijaz said that at this very juncture of history, Pakistan needed able and sincere leadership for effectively dealing with the serious issues relating to integrity and solidarity of the country.

To a question, Mr Ijazul Haq claimed that the Taliban government in Afghanistan was an Islamic one and was in the interest of the people of Afghanistan. Even we could not stand firm to our policy about the Taliban government in Afghanistan but they did not compromise with the enemies of Islam, he remarked.

He said that the Muslims all over the world were being tormented and humiliated under a pre-planned conspiracy. He said that the Jews, Christians and Hindus were more fundamentalist than the Muslims, adding that it was an irony that only the Muslims were being targeted on the pretext of curbing fundamentalism and terrorism.

To another question, he claimed that Gen Ziaul Haq had done a lot for Pakistan and the Ummah. He further claimed that saving Pakistan and the Ummah from the Soviet threat was a great achievement of his father. He, however, lamented that his father (late) Ziaul Haq was being accused of spreading heroine and Kalashnikov culture in the country.