KARACHI: Opposition observes black day today: Bush’s arrival
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, March 3: The joint Opposition in the country has announced to stage a peaceful protest on the arrival of US President Bush on Saturday by observing it as a ‘black day’ and continue its ongoing movement of Namoos-i-Risalat at all costs.
The Opposition also called on people to join March 5’s million march rally to make it a big success.
Greeting people for observing a complete and peaceful strike, leaders of the joint opposition said at an emergency press conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq on Friday that today’s protest day showed that Muslims would not tolerate acts of blasphemy.
The protest day, which was observed throughout the Muslim World was a clear message to the West that the European countries should take rectifying measures otherwise they would have to pay a price.
They demanded the UN to make such laws, which should prevent such tragic incidents from recurring in future.
Jamaat-i-Islami’s deputy chief, Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, flanked by Opposition leaders, said President Bush’s ongoing visit to South Asia would result in devastating peace in the region.
He said President Bush was a friend of Israel and India which had struck a nuclear agreement with India contrary to Pakistan where Gen Musharraf had extended the US all logistical support and facilities for invasion of Afghanistan, while being advised not to destabilize the Afghan government.
Senator Ghafoor condemned the mishandling of journalists in Karachi after the bomb blast, which he said had taken place in a high security zone, and as such was a proof of the government’s failure and ineptitude.
Terming the bomb blast a conspiracy against Muslims and the people of Pakistan, he demanded that hands involved in the plot be exposed.
He said the nuclear agreement which Bush had signed with India were for military objectives and to overawe Pakistan, adding that the US was prepared to extend cooperation to India in the nuclear field despite the latter not being a signatory to the NPT, and whose leaders had announced that nuclear weapons could be used against Pakistan.
Prof Ghafoor, also a central leader of the MMA, recalled that earlier Bush had at times said that if India and Pakistan were prepared, the US could play the role of a mediator. But now, at a press conference with Manmohan Singh, President Bush had advised both India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue themselves. “This statement is an indication of giving a freehand to India in Kashmir,” he said.
He pointed out that on the eve of Bush’s arrival, the government had brutally used gunship helicopters and bombed Waziristan, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people including women and children.
Prof Ghafoor said the Chairman Senate had also refused to provide a list of those killed earlier in Waziristan by terming the question as a sensitive matter.
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F said the rulers by not joining this movement of the people and by standing with the US, West and Europe was creating a pit for itself. The OIC summit was not being convened either, he added.
The Punjab government had become most loyal to the US and the West, Maulana Haideri said.
He said that their movement was peaceful but it was the government that was trying to turn it violent and divert it against itself.
He termed the stubborn attitude of the European nations a challenge for the Muslim rulers and the entire ummah.
He reiterated their determination that comes what may, they would not give up the Namoos-i-Risalat (SAW) movement.
Maulana Haideri said the government had been exposed before the people about its sincerity of taking up the (cartoons) issue to the UN when it was at first not even ready to allow people to express their feelings.
He also recalled the double standards of the ruling party, which despite passing a consensus resolution against blasphemy and committing to take part in a peaceful march from parliament house to the diplomatic enclave, backed out.
Mamnoon Hussain of the PML-N said that the US agreement with the Indian government for cooperation in nuclear technology was a challenge for Pakistan, which had been cooperating with the US government in Waziristan and Balochistan even at the cost of its unity. But, the US continued to doubt Pakistan’s intentions on peaceful use of its nuclear technology.
Dr Mairajul Huda Siddqiui pointed out the difference of approach between the people and the government, saying that when protests were being observed not only in Pakistan but universally against the publications of blasphemous cartoons in Danish and other European countries, the rulers were filing petitions in the Supreme Court for commemorating ‘Basant’ festival.
Mian Rashid Rabbani of the PPP said that Friday’s complete strike in the country was tantamount to vote of no confidence against the government, which should now reconstitute an independent election commission before holding fresh elections.
Zain Ansari of the ARD Sindh said that the complete peaceful strike was a proof of rejection of the rulers’ enlightened moderation, saying they should resign now.
Allama Hassan Turabi of the Shia Ulema Council said that following a successful strike over the blasphemy issue, the government should review its foreign policy and make it people oriented.
Zubair Khan of the Tehreek-i-Insaf said that by proroguing the Sindh Assembly session, the real design of the government had been exposed.
Shahi Syed of the ANP said that the European countries should now concede their mistake.
Shabbir Abu Talib of the MMA said if the rulers maintained their present attitude, the joint opposition would give calls for observing more protests and strikes in future.
