09 January 2005	Sunday	27 Ziqa'ad 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: A Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA from Karachi Hakim Qari Gul Rahman on Saturday met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and apprised him of the problems faced by people in his constituency because of the slow pace of development work.

The MNA said that the country's political situation, especially with reference to the MMA's ongoing protest movement, was also discussed.

Qari Gul Rahman, who has recently been expelled from the Jamiat-i-Ulema-Islam (Samiul Haq group) for taking part in a protest rally, said the prime minister had requested him to convince the alliance leaders not to agitate against the government in the larger national interest. The prime minister said that it did not suit the ulema to hold street demonstrations.

The MNA said that he had told the prime minister that the ongoing protest movement of the MMA was based on principles and for the restoration of democracy and parliament's sovereignty. "I have told the prime minister that there was a difference between the protest strategy of the MMA and other opposition groups," he said, adding that the MMA had already decided not to besiege the Speaker during a National Assembly session.

When asked whether he had sought prior permission from the MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed or secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rahman for having a meeting with the prime minister, the MNA said that it was not necessary for members of parliament to seek permission to meet the prime minister.

Moreover, he said, the MMA leadership had never held any MNA back from meeting with the prime minister or federal ministers for resolution of problems of their constituencies.

The MMA MNA said that he had discussed the issue of allotment of remaining blocks of the Karachi Port Trust building to the Babul Islam Society. He asked the prime minister to take notice of the attitude of the KPT chairman who had been allegedly using delaying tactics in allotment of remaining blocks to the society despite getting full payment in 1996.