05 July 2004	Monday	16 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

FAISALABAD, July 4: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal central leader Maulana Samiul Haq has urged the government to convene a round-table conference on the Wana issue instead of briefing selected members of parliament.

Speaking at a news conference here on Sunday, the Maulana claimed that the incursion of American forces into tribal areas and violation of geographical boundaries of the country had become a routine which was a stigma on the face of the rulers.

He said the Wana issue was very sensitive and could be dangerous for the federation, but the rulers and the quarters concerned were playing the role of a silent spectator.

He said there was a dire need for the government to convene a round-table conference and invite religious leaders, politicians, elected representatives, armed forces and elders of the tribes for a peaceful solution to the issue.

The Maulana criticized the statements of Qazi Husain Ahmad and Maulana Fazlur Rahman, adding that both the leaders were not sole representatives of the MMA, and the policies and decisions of the alliance would be implementable only after mutual understanding.

He said the government had failed on internal and external fronts which could be judged from the fact that the law and order situation had gone out of control of the agencies. "Dictation from foreign powers in the most sensitive and internal issues is also a normal practice," he said.

He alleged that the rulers were hatching conspiracies to convert the country into a secular state and a colony of the USA. But all such nefarious designs would be foiled through street power, he claimed.

To a question about relations between the MMA and the ARD, Maulana Samiul Haq said it was impossible for both the alliances to accept demands and policies of each other as they had differences over external issues of the country.