26 June 2004	Saturday	07 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

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KARACHI/ISLAMABAD, June 25: The government of Sindh on Friday banned entry into the province of acting president of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), Qazi Hussain Ahmed, and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The government also banned a 'peace rally' planned by the alliance of six religious parties in Karachi on June 27.

According to the BBC website, the ban would also apply to four other MMA leaders - Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Prof Sajid Mir, Allama Sajid Hussain Naqvi and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. However, the MMA leaders announced that they would defy the ban and reach Karachi to attend the peace rally 'at any cost'.

After the oath-taking ceremony for 12 provincial ministers,Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim told newsmen: "I will not allow any party, including the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, to take out a rally in Karachi, as situation in the cosmopolitan city is still sensitive and not yet normal. There was attack on the motorcade of the corps commander by terrorists recently in Karachi."

He said that in case someone fired on the proposed MMA rally on its way to Merewether Tower from the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam "the situation may further deteriorate. There are forces, including external, who want to create law and order situation in Karachi.

Why had Karachi been selected for a peace rally, why not Lahore, Quetta or Peshawar, the chief minister asked. The situation in the NWFP where the MMA is in power is not ideal. "Why does MMA not hold a peace rally in Peshawar and talk of restoring peace in Sindh, including Karachi".

"Today we live in a global village and every information is known immediately to the people. Peace rallies are also held in Islamabad," observed the chief minister.

He said when the situation normalizes in Karachi, "I will allow such peace rallies".

The chief minister said he had imposed the ban not on the demand of the MQM or any other party. It was an administrative step taken to ensure that law and order situation would not deteriorate in the city.

When asked if the administration would use force in case the MMA defied the ban, Dr Rahim said that people would resist them through persuasion as they wanted to maintain peace.

Answering a question, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad said the government had taken the right decision because Karachi could not afford activities which could worsen the situation.

He said maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the government.

The governor pointed out that the ban had been imposed because of past experiences of MMA rallies which resulted in disturbances. He gave the example of a recent strike in which vehicles were set on fire and even the Quaid-i-Azam Academy was not spared.

He said he would like to request the MMA leadership to have mercy on the people of Karachi and avoid doing anything which could vitiate the atmosphere.

Talking to Dawn in Islamabad, MMA's deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Hafiz Hussain Ahmed vowed that all the alliance leaders would reach Karachi on Sunday 'at any cost' to participate in the proposed peace march.

Criticizing the ban, he said it had been imposed by the government in reaction to the MMA's decision of boycotting the National Security Council meeting.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the MMA had been receiving threats that its government in the NWFP could be ousted due to its decision about the NSC meeting.

He was of the view that the decision to impose the ban had been taken by the governor and not by the chief minister. He alleged that the governor was responsible for the present state of affairs in Sindh. He demanded that the governor should be sacked immediately.

Talking to newsmen separately, Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed similar views.