February 2, 2006	Thursday	Muharram 3, 1427

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QUETTA, Feb 1: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam has decided to open its ranks to women and people of minority communities for the first time and allow them party memberships. Party’s convener Allama Dr Khalid Soomro said on Wednesday that the JUI was the only party that could safeguard the rights of both Muslims and minority groups.

The MMA, he said would enforce Islamic injunctions in the country if the alliance succeeded in acquiring a two-third majority in parliament.

Allama Soomro said the JUI believed in what he termed Islamic revolution through the people’s support in a democratic manner.

He was speaking at a press conference at the party’s provincial secretariat on the eve of the launch of the party’s membership drive.

He said the JUI-F was targeting to make two million members.

Stressing the need for people to join hands against what he termed anti-people policies of the Musharraf government in Waziristan and Balochistan, Allama Soomro said that the country was passing through a critical phase and it was vital to save the nation from becoming a victim of a tragedy.

Condemning what he termed the military operation in Waziristan and Balochistan, he said issues in both the areas should be resolved through political dialogue instead of using the force to suppress the people’s voice.