28 September 2004	Tuesday	12 Shaban 1425

PESHAWAR, Sept 27: Chief of Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad said on Monday that his party's annual international congregation would help promote peace around the globe.

Speaking at a news conference at Azakhel Park, the venue of the congregation, Qazi Hussain said its main objective was to give a message that mankind should live in peace without any racial or religious discrimination.

Brutalities and terrorism are being unleashed on Muslims around the world and they are accused of terrorism, which is a great injustice, he said. He said that innocent people were being killed in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and Wana. Women and children were being branded terrorists.

The allegation that Muslims espouse terrorism is a conspiracy, but "we will tell the world that Muslims are being treated inhumanly," he said. He said tens of thousands of people from around the world would attend the congregation.

He said representatives of Islamic movements and societies from various countries, diplomats from Muslim and non-Muslim states, representatives of all minority groups and their representatives in parliament had been invited so that they could be apprised of the Islamic judicial system.

He said all political and regional parties, including the ruling Muslim League, had also been invited to speak their mind on contemporary issues facing the Ummah. He said that although the prime minister was invited, and so will be President Gen Pervez Musharraf, they were not expected to attend the moot for security reasons.

However, the wife of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had expressed her willingness to attend, he said. He said leaders of Islamic movements, including amirs of JI from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Akhwanul Muslimeen from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, religious leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, Algeria, Yemen, Turkey, America and European countries would participate in the congregation.

Qazi Hussain said that the JI had received complaints from foreign invitees that they were facing problems in getting Pakistani visa. "We are in touch with the government to clear the hurdles," he added.

He said APHC leader Syed Ali Gilani and Hammas leader Khalid Mashal would make telephonic speeches. Replying to a question, he said President Gen Pervez Musharraf would have to quit the army post before Dec 31 at all costs.