March, 23 2005	Wednesday	12 Safar 1426

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RAWALPINDI, March 22: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) President Qazi Hussain Ahmad on Tuesday called upon the people to start a movement against the government, as it had failed to deliver on all fronts. He was speaking at a big gathering of the supporters who had assembled at Liaquat Bagh to join the alliance’s caravan for Lahore. The alliance secretary-general, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Punjab President Liaquat Baloch, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and MNA Mian Aslam were also present on this occasion.

Mr Hussain claimed that their million march in Karachi was a big success and hoped that the people of Lahore will also give them a massive response on Wednesday. “The people of Sindh gave an overwhelming response to our million march. If the people of Punjab also give us such a response then Pakistan’s problems would be over,” Qazi said.

“There is no need to take up arms against the government. If people take to the streets, that is enough for it,” he further said.

He said the people had lost their faith with the government, as it had miserably failed to live up to its commitments. “The country is in the grip of severe problems like poverty, joblessness, social and economic insecurity, absence of justice and violation of basic rights,” Mr Hussain said.

He said the rulers had become a tool in the hands of the US government on whose dictates curriculum had been changed, Hudood Ordinance was being amended and religion column in the passport was being abolished. He said efforts were being made to undermine the Islamic values and promote Hindu culture and vulgarity in the country.

Mr Hussain termed Gen Musharraf’s so-called enlightened moderation as a threat to the identity of Pakistan and Islamic values.

He said the government’s privatization policies had added to unemployment. “Since the rulers took over the country, there has been no relief for the common man. Over 50 per cent population is surviving on less than Rs5,000 per month. Education and health facilities are lacking and army is being used to protect the American interests,” he said.

The MMA chief said they were in contact with PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and had got an assurance of full cooperation in their struggle for restoration of democracy and rule of law in the country.

He made it clear that no move against religious values and the Islamic identity of the country would be tolerated at any cost. Later on, a caravan of thousands of people left for Gujranwala where they would stay for a night and leave for Lahore the next morning.

Hamid Asghar from Gujar Khan adds: MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday said the Musharraf government had compounded the woes of the people of Pakistan by increasing the prices of edibles and petroleum products.

Speaking to sizable public meetings at Gujar Khan, Sohawa, Dina and Jhelum on the MMA caravan’s march to Lahore, the MMA leaders said the US efforts to implement secularism in the country through the present rulers would be thwarted. They termed the government policies contrary to the Islamic principles and the interest of the nation.