May 21, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 04, 1428

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, May 20: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has decided to attend the multi-party conference (MPC) being convened by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) in London next month.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the MMA Supreme Council held at the residence of Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman here on Saturday night.

MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Anas Noorani, Prof Sajid Mir, Syed Wizarat Hussain Naqvi and other alliance leaders attended the meeting.

MNA Liaquat Baloch told Dawn on Sunday that MMA leaders would attend the London conference, adding that heads of other political parties should also ensure their participation in the event. “The absence of parties’ heads should be considered non-participation in the conference.”

He said the Supreme Council discussed a one-point agenda to restore peace in Dera Ismail Khan and other southern districts of the NWFP where Islamic militants had challenged the government’s writ. He said the provincial government would compensate families of those killed in Dera.He said that a 26-member jirga had been constituted to work for the restoration of peace in the Dera region. MPA Maulana Lutfur Rehman will head the jirga while Deputy Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Cheema and other officials would coordinate with the body. Representatives of different political and religious groups in the area had been given representation in the jirga.

The council discussed the growing lawlessness and rise of militancy in southern parts of the NWFP. Sources said that senior members of the alliance briefed the council on the prevailing situation in the area. The jirga will assist the district administration to maintain peace in areas adjacent to the tribal region.

Addressing the jirga on Sunday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the government’s Afghan policy was directly affecting the situation in the tribal areas and alleged that some elements were hatching conspiracies to weaken the state’s writ. He said that militancy had penetrated into the tribal areas from Afghanistan and now it was spreading to the settled areas of the NWFP.

Maulana Fazl ruled out sectarianism in Dera and other parts of the province and said that the followers of different sects had been living in the region with peace and harmony.

Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that lawlessness in Dera, Tank and Swat districts was harming the MMA and urged ulema and politicians to play their role in discouraging terrorists. He pointed out that imperialist powers were trying to promote ethnic, sectarian and linguistic differences among the Muslims. He said that like US President Bush, Gen Musharraf had lost his popularity in the country and abroad. He said that days of the ‘dictator’ had been counted and Gen Musharraf could no longer remain in power.