10 February 2005	Thursday	30 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Feb 9: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief, Altaf Hussain, has said that Pakistan does not belong to any particular sect or community and if it is to be governed according to Jinnah's principles , it has to be done in accordance with his Aug 11, 1947 speech.

"If we cannot do that, we will have to stop calling Quaid-i-Azam the founder of Pakistan," said the Muttahida's founder while telephonically addressing religious scholars of different schools of thought at Lal Qila in Azizabad on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the founder of Pakistan had said at the inception of the country that everyone was free to pursue his life according to his religion and belief.

Mr Hussain said that Islam did not allow sectarian or communal killings. He asked religious leaders and clergy to raise their voice on social injustices and should not avoid responsibility by declaring it a political matter. "Raise voice on injustices against Baloch, Sindhis and others," he said.

The Muttahida leader declared that raising voice for the rights of smaller province was in accordance with Islam and keeping mum on the subject was not. He urged the clergymen of both Sunni and Shia sects to maintain sectarian harmony during Muharram and form joint committees for realizing that objective and maintain vigil at mosques and Imambargahs.

He said that removing mutual suspicions, mistrust and conspiracies was also jihad. He made it clear that he was nobody's agent. He said that he was only fulfilling his duty of forging unity among Muslims and people of other religions.

Mr Hussain, who was declared Sheikhul Islam by Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada, called for breaking new path through Ijtehad for meeting new realities. He stressed that instead of condemning Christians or Jews and stressing on old values 'self-introspection' should be the guiding principle.

He regretted that his efforts for Muslim unity had not borne fruit as yet. However, he expressed hope that sacrifices and efforts would never go waste.

He regretted that after the end of Khilaft, the concept of Islamic state that emerged was not Islamic at all. "It was either monarchy or the exploitative capitalist system," he said.