PESHAWAR, June 6: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) observed Friday as thanksgiving day across the province in connection with the passage of the Shariat bill, which was unanimously passed by the NWFP assembly on Monday.

Thanksgiving prayers were offered, and the MMA workers took out processions in small and big towns of the NWFP as the provincial government has already declared the day as a public holiday.

Provincial ministers, Senators, MNAs and MPAs led thanksgiving day procession in the provincial metropolis after Friday prayers.

A procession was taken out from Madni Mosque, Namakmandi. Senior minister Sirajul Haq, Qari Fayyazur Rehman Alvi and Maulana Hamidul Haq MNAs led the march, which terminated at Shoba Chowk.

Addressing the rally senior minister said that MMA believed in democratic values and the government would not implement Shariat by force in society. He said that people, including women, would not be forced to abide by the Shariat laws, and opponents of the bill would be convinced through argument.

Mr Siraj said that only a small segment of society was opposing the Shariat Bill, adopted by the provincial assembly. Even minority members of the assembly supported the bill, he said. After the NWFP, he said, the Shariat laws would be implemented in Punjab and Sindh.

He claimed that with Shariat becoming the supreme law of the province, the menace of corruption, unemployment, illiteracy and ignorance would be eradicated from society.

About the row between the MMA government and the district governments in the province, he said, the provincial government did not want confrontation with the federal government.