February 12, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 04 ,1429

KARACHI, Feb 11: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain pledged on Monday that his party would eliminate the class-based system of education if it was voted into power at the national level.

“School education up to matriculation will be made free of cost across the country and parents who do not send their children to school will be punished under the law. For this, the party will make necessary amendments to the constitution,” he promised in his address from London to the participants of four public meetings organised as part of its election campaign in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Mehmoodabad, Burnes Road and Ranchhor Line.

Strict security arrangements were taken at the venues of public meetings by police and rangers. Besides, MQM volunteers were also performing security duties and regulating vehicular traffic.

Hoisting tri-coloured party flags, a large number of party supporters, including women and children, welcomed their leader by shouting party slogans. The leader urged people belonging to all ethnicities to exercise their right of vote in favour of MQM candidates at the national and provincial levels so that the party could be in a position to implement its agenda. He asked all religious and political parties to shun their differences and play their due role in making the general elections peaceful.

Mr Hussain said that the party would give equal representation to women in all segments of life and curb the menace of child marriage, if voted to power at the national level. Besides, he pledged that a separate force would be established at the local body level to deal with street crimes.

Meanwhile, three contestants announced their retirement in favour of the MQM candidates.

Sabir Gola, a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid-i-Azam, announced his retirement in favour of the MQM candidate from NA-251. Two candidates on PS-114 also left the field in favour of MQM candidate Rauf Siddiqui.