LAHORE, Oct 11: Leaders of various religious parties on Thursday appealed the people to observe a complete strike on the arrival of US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Pakistan.

In a joint statement issued here, Jamaat-i-Islami amir Qazi Husain Ahmad, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leaders Maulana Fazlur Rahman and Maulana Samiul Haq, Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith amir Prof Sajid Mir, Sipah-i-Sahaba chairman Maulana Azam Tariq, JUP head Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani and Lt-Gen Hameed Gul (retired) urged the people to show complete unity and keep their businesses closed to protest against US and allies bombing of Afghanistan.

These leaders regretted that the infidels had joined their forces against the Muslims and the governments of some Muslim states, especially Pakistan, were supporting their actions.

US President George Bush, they said, had hinted at attacking other Muslim states and prolonging the war to crush the Mujahideen on the pretext of fighting terrorism.

They apprehended that after Afghanistan’s destruction Pakistan and Azad Kashmir would be the next US target.

Meanwhile, religious parties continued to hold anti-America rallies for the third consecutive day here on Thursday.

Leaders of these parties condemned the OIC for what they said, its failure to take a firm stand in favour of Afghanistan and Islamic world.

The main rally was held by the Lashkar-i-Taiba and the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad on the call of the Pak-Afghan Defence Council on The Mall.

Activists and leaders of 26 component parties of the council participated in the rally and chanted anti-US slogans for what they said launching an offensive on the Islamic world under the pretext of fighting against terrorism.

Another rally was held by the JUP (Nafaz-i-Shariat) near the shrine of Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh and its activists burnt the effigy of US President Bush.

Speaking to the rally participants, JUP leaders announced that they no longer back the government because of its support to America.

The JUP men carrying banners and placards blocked the road. They dispersed peacefully after listening to the brief speeches of their leaders who lashed out at America for what they said bombing civilian targets in Afghanistan.

They also criticized the policies of the Pakistan government.

Heavy contingents of police were deployed to guard against any untoward incident but the participants in the rallies culminated in a peaceful manner with leaders asking the workers to stay calm.

Speakers at the main rally on The Mall included Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad central leaders Dr Abdur Rehman and Maulana Air Hamza, JUI Naib Amir Hussain Gilani, Maulana Khalid Bashir, Mirza Ayub Beg, Maulana Amjad Khan, JI’s Mian Maqsood Ahmad, PML(N)’s Khwaja Saad Rafiq, SSP’s Shamsur Rahman Moavia, Majlis-i-Ahrar’s Shahullah Bukhari, Pir Saifullah Khalid, Lashkar-i-Taiba’s Rana Mahmood Abbas and Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith’s Haji Abdur Razzaq.

Maulana Amir Hussain Gilani said rulers of all Muslim states must realize that America could not become their friend. Therefore, they must start supporting the Muslims who have united against America.

He said the people in Pakistan were hoping that the OIC would take a stand against America, condemn it for attacking Afghanistan and ask it to stop the offensive. But, he regretted, the OIC did not come up to the expectations of the Muslims all over the world.

Maulana Gilani urged the Pakistan government to ask America to stop bombing civilian targets in Afghanistan and make it clear that the US was attacking the Islamic world under a conspiracy started with the attack on the World Trade Center.

The trade centre was destroyed by America itself and Pakistan would also be affected by the offensive in Afghanistan, he said.

He said the attack in Afghanistan had rendered Pakistan’s frontiers vulnerable and it must therefore ask America to stop the aggression.

Maulana Amir Hamza said unlike the government, the people of Pakistan would continue to support their Afghan brethren. He said India was showing its happiness over the attack on Afghanistan but mujahideen would also defeat it.

He urged the people to be ready for jihad which he said, would destroy America.

Dr Abdur Rahman said America had in fact started a crusade against the Islamic world and wanted to implement its new world order under the pretext of fighting against terrorism.

He said it should be decided that the US was a terrorist and not the Muslims and the mujahideen.

He said that America was the biggest terrorist in the world because it had developed the atomic bomb and then thrown it on Japan besides destabilizing 27 countries and their governments through overt or covert operations.

Dr Rahman said that Pakistan had always supported justice but now certain elements had pushed it on the side of anti-Islam forces. This was for the first time that Pakistan was backing the oppressor and the terrorist.

He said that there was a difference of opinion between the government and the people of Pakistan and this was so because the former had not adopted a pro-Islam policy regarding Afghanistan.

Dr Rahman said had it been the case of only Osama bin Laden or Taliban the matter could have been resolved through peaceful means. But the occasion was used to attack Afghanistan for which a decision had already been taken before the attacks on America.

He urged the government to refrain from wasting the years long sacrifices of the Muslims for Afghanistan.

It was announced that there would be no central rally on Friday but people would demonstrate in front of all mosques after the Juma prayers.

JUP: The Punjab JUP (Noorani) will organize a rally from Data Darbar on Saturday to condemn America and show solidarity with Afghan people.