LAHORE, July 18: Alleging that the United States poses a serious threat to Islamic countries and wants to take over their oil reserves, MMA vice-president Qazi Husain Ahmed proposed on Friday the formation of a bloc of five important states to throw the US out of the region.

In a statement, he said the proposed bloc should comprise Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Once these countries joined hands, he said, China, Russia, France and Germany, all opposed to the US designs, would be willing to extend them their support.

The Qazi said the US wanted to disintegrate Saudi Arabia to be able to take over its oil fields. It posed a threat to Pakistan and Iran.

The situation required the people of the Islamic countries to prevent their rulers from following a wrong course. Muslims, he said, had abundant spirit to offer sacrifices and they needed only guidance to move in the right direction.

Of the Pakistani rulers, the Qazi said they were pursuing the US agenda. The purpose of sending Pakistani troops to Iraq was to provide a shield to US troops and thus help the occupation forces to firm up their control of the oil fields.

The MMA leader said such a decision would amount to safeguarding Israeli interests in Iraq and providing a helping hand in case of US intervention in Iran.

He trivialized the importance of Gen Musharraf’s recent visit to the United States and the $3 billion assistance commitment he was given. Such an aid, he said, always usurped independence of a country and chained it.

He was critical of series of articles being written to argue that recognition of Israel would be in Pakistan’s interest. Such writers, he said, were confusing the issue.

UK visit: Qazi Husain Ahmed is due to leave here for London on Saturday (today) on a week’s visit at the invitation of the UK Islamic Mission.