MULTAN, Dec 9: The Organization of Islamic Countries should have come out in its Makkah Summit with a clear policy against the presence of the US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, besides pledging for the defence of Iran and Syria in case of American ‘invasion’. This was stressed by MMA chief Qazi Husain Ahmad while talking to newsmen here on Friday. He welcomed the OIC summit but said had the organization demanded withdrawal of the US forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, its outcome would have been more laudable.

He said the Musharraf regime had damaged the Kashmir cause as despite announcing a host of concessions on the matter, India was unmoved and had not budged an inch from its stance that Kashmir was its integral part.

He said the basic issue of the country was the continuity of the martial law. He said the army had illegally concentrated all the powers and no-one would believe that there was democracy in Pakistan with the chief or army staff calling the shots in the presidency.

The MMA chief said by stressing transparency the international community had for all practical purposes showed no confidence in the relief and rehabilitation operation being led by the men in uniform in the quake-hit areas.

He also criticized the developed countries for pushing anti-farmer policies under the WTO regime in the poor and developing countries. He said the USA and the European Union hugely subsidized their farm sector, but when it came to the countries like Pakistan they pressed for their withdrawal through the IMF and World Bank in the name of structural adjustments.

He called for a fair and just water-distribution formula among the provinces and a consensus over the construction of new reservoirs in the country, including the proposed Kalabagh dam.