30 September 2004	Thursday	14 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: The Jamaat-i-Islami has invited President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to attend its three-day annual congregation (Ijtema-i-Aam) starting at Azakhel Park on the outskirts of Peshawar from Oct 1-3.

Briefing newsmen at camp office of Rawalpindi/Islamabad Press Club on Wednesday, JI Punjab chief Liaqat Baloch said that the 24th congregation in Jamaat's 63-year existence will culminate in uniting all political and religious forces on a common charter of protecting the 1973 Constitution and sovereignty of parliament.

Commenting on the president's statement that the constitution allowed him to retain uniform till 2007, Mr Baloch said: "It could be his wish but no one will accept his wishes."

He said the provision concerning separation of president's office from that of COAS was part of the agreement reached between the government and the MMA "which cannot be breached" and Gen Musharraf must relinquish either of the two offices before Dec 31.

Mr Baloch said that despite certain reservations against each other, both the MMA and ARD will have to join hands against the superiority of Gen Musharraf on parliament and the constitution.

He said the conference will also become a turning point in launching a determined struggle against the armed forces' superiority over parliament and democracy. He said he had met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and principal staff officer of president, Lt-Gen Hamid Javed, on Wednesday to hand over invitation cards and it was up to them to decide for or against attending the moot.

Delegates from world Islamic movements, diplomats, members of parliament belonging to various parties, NWFP chief minister, Balochistan cabinet ministers and members of provincial assemblies will also attend, he asserted.

Indian JI leader Dr Abdul Haq Ansari is among the possible participants, he said. The motto of the congregation is: "Jihad in every field of life for achieving the will of Allah".

He said that arrangements for the largest congregation in the party's history "have been finalized" and delegations from faraway places like Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Turbat, Larkana, etc., had begun their journey to reach the venue on Oct 1.

Heads and top leaders of all major political parties, including the ruling PML, PML(N), PPP Parliamentarians, ANP and MMA, have been invited, he said. The congregation, he said, would turn out to be a milestone in safeguarding the teachings of Quran and Sunnah as supreme law of the land and to ensure Pakistan's ideological role.

The Jamaat leader said the party conference will also reiterate its full support to the Kashmir Mujahideen in their struggle for attaining liberation from the occupation forces.

It will also demand that the West shun its dual standards while dealing with human and democratic values of Muslim states and take up the path of dialogue with the Muslim world. About rumours that the MMA government in the NWFP might be dislodged, he said: "No-one can undermine the popularity of the religious parties' alliance through conspiracies."