May 26, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 09, 1428

LAHORE, May 25: The Jamaat-i-Islami organised two protest demonstrations in the city on Friday where its leaders pleaded for the registration of criminal cases against Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Husain and all those responsible for the May 12 violence and killings in Karachi.

The demonstrations were organised outside the Jamaat headquarters at Mansoora, Multan Road, and the Muslim Masjid, Lohari Gate, soon after the Juma prayers.

At Mansoora, MPAs Chaudhry Mohammad Shaukat and Ehsanullah Waqas, Hafiz Mohammad Idrees and others held MQM chief Altaf Husain, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Arbab Rahim responsible for the violence at the behest of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

They wanted the police to register murder cases against all those responsible for the tragic incidents and also because they had abandoned Karachi and given a free hand to the MQM ruffians who were openly brandishing arms and killing peaceful people of Karachi at will.

They also reacted sharply to the statement of President Musharraf about his uniform and said this reflected the regime was in no mood to put an end to military rule and had no intentions of holding fair and transparent elections and restore democracy.

They were of the view that the statement of Gen Musharraf demonstrated his frustration at a time when the democratic movement of lawyers and the people was about to realise the cherished goal of establishing a civil rule and the restoration of state institutions.