KARACHI, July 6: Speakers at the Islami Tehreek-i-Pakistan rally, condemning the incident of terrorism in Quetta, have demanded that the government must arrest those involved in the tragedy which claimed over 50 lives.

Amidst repeated slogans of “Long live Shia-Sunni Ittehad” and “Down with the US”, the speakers stated that the US agents were behind all murders in the name of sectarian killings. However, they said, all Muslims were united under the flag of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal. Any attempt to divide Muslims would be foiled, they added.

Against the government move of sending army to Iraq, they said that the armed forces of Pakistan should not be used to safeguard the US interests in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The rally was organized by the Islami Tehreek-i-Pakistan on Sunday afternoon to protest against the Quetta tragedy. The participants, who came on vehicles from various localities, converged at Regal Chowk from where they marched up to the Empress Market.

The rally was led by MMA leaders, including Allama Hasan Turabi, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Dr Mairaj-ul-Huda Siddiqui of Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Muhammad Osmanyar Khan of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan and others.

Allama Hasan Turabi, who is also the ITP chief, regretted that the rulers of Pakistan had always been loyal to other powers rather than the masses. He said that the rulers utilized our resources without taking the nation, parliament or cabinet into confidence.

In contrast, he pointed out that the grant of three billion dollars announced by the US President Bush was conditioned to the approval of the US Congress.

He demanded dismissal of the Balochistan government for its failure to protect people and investigation of the tragedy by High Court judge to expose the secret hand behind the killings. Those found guilty should be given exemplary punishment, he added.

He criticized President Musharraf for his reply that if the US attacked Iran, Pakistan would have to think whether to side with the US or Iran. Aggression against Iran would be another attack on Muslims, he said.

Maulana Abdul Karim Abid said that the Quetta incident was a colossal tragedy without precedent in the history of Pakistan. He expressed surprise over the rulers incompetency that such tragedies were recurring but their perpetrators had never been arrested. “If they cannot arrest culprits of such heinous crimes # they have no right to rule,” he added.

Maulana Qamber Abbas Naqvi was critical of Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali for engaging all law enforcement agencies in his personal security and protocol duty leaving gap for terrorists to play with the life of innocent people.

Maulana Osmanyar Khan, who also led special prayers before termination of the rally, warned the people to maintain unity in their rank and file as their unity can foil all conspiracies hatched against Muslims.

Earlier, the Imamia Students Organization staged a protest rally outside Karachi Press Club. They raised slogans against the US and Israel, while demanding arrest of terrorists involved in the Quetta tragedy.