ISLAMABAD, March 1: Acting president of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has accused the government of "murdering" 13 innocent people in Wana during a military operation.

In a press statement here on Monday, he said first the government declared those killed in Wana as terrorists and next day announced Rs100,000 compensation for the heirs.

Mr Nisar, who is also the acting parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N in the National Assembly, said the government announced compensation only when it became clear that those killed were not terrorists. He said the government had set a new record of telling lies.

He said a few days ago, Gen Musharraf gave a 'good news' to the nation that Pakistan had been saved through 'insult' of the scientists. On the other hand, adviser to the US president Condaliza Rice announced that the Pakistani scientists would be taken to task, he added.

The ARD leader said Pakistan was facing serious dangers due to government policies. He said the Musharraf-Jamali regime had put the country in crisis and it would take years to come out of it.

He also condemned the statement of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali that the two-nation theory existed no more. He also criticized the increase in prices of petroleum products.

He said on the one hand, the government was claiming that foreign reserves had touched $12 billion figure, and on the other, it had made the lives of the people miserable due to price-hike.

Our Staff Reporter adds from Rawalpindi: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), showing concern over the army operation in Wana, said it was being carried out on the US dictations.

A local MMA leader, Mohammad Abbas Butt, said the operation was a conspiracy aimed at pitching the Pakistan army against the tribal people. He was speaking at a gathering here on Monday.

The MMA leader criticized the government for what he called killing the innocent Afghan freedom fighters after terming them terrorists just for appeasing the US.

"It is a matter of shame for our leaders to launch a crackdown on its own citizens and innocent Afghans." Mr Butt said the US was the biggest terrorist in the world and those who supported it were equally to blame.

He demanded immediate halt to the Wana operation. Meanwhile, the local bodies convention of Al-Khidmat Group, an offshoot of Jamaat-i-Islami will be held on March 6 at Liaqat Memorial Hall. Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad, MMA deputy secretary-general Liaqat Baloch and MNA Mohammad Hanif Abbasi will speak at the convention.