25 December 2004	Saturday	12 Ziqa'ad 1425

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KARACHI, Dec 24: Hundreds of supporters of the Almi Majlis-i-Tahaffuz-i-Khatme Nabuwwat (SAW) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Friday took out a rally , from Jamia Binnori Town after Jumma prayers, against deletion of the religion column from the new passports.

Speaking to participants of the rally, leader of the Majlis, Rashid Hussain Madni, said the government was trying to eliminate religion from Pakistan by deleting the religion column from passport.

"Friendship with the US and India on their terms, conspiracies against Ulema, and now the deletion of religion column from the passport are unacceptable to Pakistanis," he said, adding that Muslims all over the world were with their Pakistani brethren in their movement.

According to him, the martyred Maulana Yousuf Ludhyanvi had approached General Zia-ul-Haq through the Saudi ruler, Shah Faisal, for restoration of the religion column in the passport, and now too, Ulema would leave no stone unturned for the purpose.

Speaking on the occasion, the JI Karachi Amir, Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui, said the government would not be allowed to take directives from the US on religious affairs and impose its decisions on the Pakistani Muslims.

He warned, "The government should refrain from intervening into religious affairs, otherwise it may face a movement on the pattern of the Tehrik-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (SAW).

He maintained that the uniforms on the bodies of the mujahideen of the Pakistan Army were acceptable to people, but the one worn by President Musharraf was not, saying he (Musharraf) was fleeing from Jihad and his uniform was causing harm to Islam and the Muslims.

Dr Meraj said that deletion of the religion column from the passport, amendments to Hudood and Blasphemy laws, remarks against the beard and veil were all anti-Islamic acts.

Khawaja Tariq Nazir of the Pakistan Muslim League-N assured protestors that his party was with religious parties and would continue supporting them in their just issues. Maulana Umer Sadiq, Hafiz Muhammad Taqi, Maulana Khan Muhammad Rabbani, Qazi Ahmed Noorani, Qari Allah Dad, Shaikh Rafique Ahmed, and MPA Younus Barai also spoke.

The police earlier forbid the participants from staging any demo at the Numaish Chowrangi. Heavy contingents of police and Rangers were deployed to avert any law and order situation.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) on Friday warned they would compel the Aga Khan Foundation to leave the country like the Qadyanis, if the government fails to withdraw its ordinance regarding establishment of the Aga Khan University Board (AKUB).

"The establishment of the AKUB will be resisted tooth and nail," vowed JI Karachi Amir Dr Merajul Huda while addressing a convention held to celebrate the 58th foundation day anniversary of the IJT at the Federal Urdu University's Gulshan-i-Iqbal campus Karachi.

The convention was attended by a large number of IJT activists, MMA legislators and people from different walks of life. Dr Merajul Huda said the IJT's movement against the establishment of the AKUB was voice of the entire society, saying it would continue until and unless the government withdrew its decision.

Lauding the role of the IJT, he said its activists had played an effective role in the Tehrik-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (SAW) and against the formation of Bangladesh. While the IJT had also foiled all attempts for secularization of the country besides safeguarding its ideological foundations.

He vowed that Islamic values will be defended and no individual will be allowed to turn the country secular or into a US colony. Criticizing the AKUB's formation, IJT Nazim Karachi, Tahir Akbar, contended that promulgation of ordinance for establishing the AKUB will not only destroy the educational system of the country but its ideological values as well.

He was also critical over the changes in the curricula and said the IJT will foil each and every step in this regard. The MMA's deputy parliamentary in Sindh Assembly, Nasrullah Shajjee, also spoke. - PPI