29 January 2005	Saturday	18 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 28: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has warned the government against use of force in Balochistan, reminding the military leadership that attainment of peace was not possible without cooperation and support from masses.

Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, a central leader of the MMA, gave this warning while addressing a rally at Dawood Chowrangi, Landhi, here on Friday. The rally was part of the MMA's ongoing countrywide protest campaign against Gen Musharraf's holding of the president's office simultaneously with that of the COAS.

The other issues being highlighted during the campaign included trampling of constitution, soaring prices, increasing unemployment, deletion of religion column from passport and the US intervention in other countries' affairs.

Others who spoke at the rally included Maulana Abdul Karim Abid, Hafiz Mohammad Taqi, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, Shaikh Rafique Ahmad, Nasrullah Shaji, Maulana Ehsanullah Hazarvi, Qazi Ahmad Noorani, Mohammad Aslam Mujahid, Mufti Abdul Khaliq, Kamal Ahmed Farooqui, Maulana Hazrat Wali, Qari Naseebullah, Mufti Mohammad Hanif and Qari Sher Zaman.

Participants of the rally also staged silent demonstration outside various mosques and distributed pamphlets containing MMA demands. They were holding banners and placards and raising slogans against President Musharraf, US intervention and secularization, and demanded restoration of Pakistan's Islamic identity and retention of the title: 'Islamic Republic of Pakistan' on passports and the religion column inside.

Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, demanded reduction in the prices of petroleum products, as well as power and gas tariff. He also stressed the need for resolving the Balochistan issue through political means.

He quoted Gen Musharraf as saying earlier that the issue would be resolved through understandings, and deplored that on the contrary, a garrison was being established in Sui with the intention of stationing more troops there.

He reminded the military leadership that deployment of even whole of the armed forces would fail to attain peace unless masses extended their support and cooperation to the authorities for the purpose.

Prof Ghafoor claimed that during the military operation in South Waziristan, a large number of people were apparently arrested but their whereabouts were not known. None of the arrested people had been produced before any court as yet, he added.

He also referred to the assurance held out by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, head of the ruling PML, that the religion column in the passport would be restored, and claimed: "But Gen Musharraf, who has been keeping all powers in his person, is not accepting the PML chief's stand because he (Gen Musharraf) intends to turn the country into a secular state.''

The MMA leader observed that all major decisions were being made over and above the parliament, rendering the elected institution worthless. According to him, people have lost faith in the judiciary and chief election commissioner has failed to deliver.

Prof Ghafoor said that after taking over the country, President Musharraf had pledged elimination of poverty from the country. However, the number of people having committed suicide owing to unemployment and poverty was all time high in the history of the country.

He pointed out that 1,500 people had committed suicide and another 2,500 attempted the extreme action in sheer frustration. The MMA leader also criticized Gen Musharraf for trampling over the ideological frontiers and the constitution, saying that he had handed over the educational system and curricula to the Aga Khan Board.

Maulana Abdul Karim Abid warned the rulers that if they did not change their attitude, the MMA's peaceful campaign might take a turn. Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui deplored that the government, which had failed even to get two kidnapped judges recovered despite having the entire army at its disposal, was now bent upon mobilizing the troops against the people of Balochistan.

Hafiz Taqi said if the government failed to restore religion column in passport, a massive movement would be launched. Nasrullah Shaji observed that assembly proceedings had become meaningless due to the trend of following the ruling clique's dictation.