KARACHI, July 26: The chief of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has said the MMA wanted free, fair and peaceful election organised by an impartial authority with the guarantee that there would be no interference in them.
He warned that if the government did not stop its crackdown against ulema and madressahs, which he said was on the dictation of the US and Britain, they would launch a massive movement with mutual consultation and planning after the local government elections.
The MMA chief also asked Pervez Musharraf that being chief of the army staff he should not make the army’s position controversial by carrying out election campaigns for ruling parties.
Mr Ahmad, who arrived in Karachi on Tuesday afternoon, was talking to a group of journalists at the Jinnah Terminal, and then at the Jamia Binnoria Town where he had gone to offer condolence to Mufti Naeem on the murder of Mufti Ateequr Rehman.
After offering fateha, he pointed out that the Zionist lobby, who had a hold over the western media, had created anti-Islam and anti-madressahs feelings in the West.
“We are open to have dialogue with the West and we invite them to visit madressahs to see for themselves that no terrorist training was being imparted to pupils,” he said.
He said that after Afghanistan and Iraq, the Zionist lobby by hurling baseless allegations was closing in on Pakistan, as the lobby was worried about the Islamic ideology of Pakistan and its nuclear programme.
The MMA chief held the present government responsible for all ills.
He said the MMA was prepared to hold talks with the government over madressahs and other issues.
In reply to a question, he said that there was no sectarianism involved in the murders of Ulema – from Mufti Shamzai to Mufti Ateequr Rehman – as only those Ulema had been assassinated who had been vocal against the US. He held the government responsible for their murders.
Mr Ahmad said the government itself had declared 90 per cent polling stations in Karachi sensitive for the coming LG elections, adding that it was on record that in view of the shortage of police force, the security of polling stations was being handed over to private security guards, which was extremely dangerous.
He said the government had chalked out a plan of pre-poll rigging, adding that the police was replacing their flags with those of the MQM in the city.
Earlier at the Jinnah Terminal, he had said that with the announcement of local government elections, an operation had been launched against Ulema, madressahs, newspapers, and journalists in Karachi.
Responding to a question, he said the MMA would meet the government challenge and state-sponsored terrorism with the help of people.
“In Karachi, all government resources have been handed over to the MQM, who is using local government offices, buildings and vehicles for election campaigning.”
Referring to the arrest of journalists, he said journalists in Karachi were being harassed, arrested, and their bail applications were being rejected.
Mr Ahmad, who is also chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, said Musharraf had been making the army controversial by taking measures against Ulema, journalists and madressahs.
He asked the people to stand up to the state-sponsored terrorism by taking full participation in the LG polls.
“We will strive for the protection of constitution, justice, peace and tranquillity, rights of people, and against vandalism and state-sponsored terrorism, which would succeed with the cooperation of people.”
The MMA chief termed the Hasba Bill to be in accordance with the constitution, law and provincial autonomy by recalling that the people of the NWFP had given mandate to the provincial government, which was trying to restore peace, and tranquillity, access to justice and moral reforms. However, he said, they were ready to make amendments in the Hasba Bill.
“We have staged protests against the government for its operation against Ulema and madressahs and we want that people should also face the secular forces ensuring their full participation in the LG elections.”
In reply to another question, the MMA leader said Islam had ensured protection to women’s rights in Islam, adding that a large number of women had been participating in their meetings.
Meanwhile, a JI spokesman commenting on the statement of MQM MPAs said that MQM ministers and its advisers were upset due to their expected defeat in the local government elections, and this was why they were hurling baseless allegations at the JI just for face saving.
