ISLAMABAD, Oct 7: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) has criticized the government for trying to implicate the religious alliance in the murder of Maulana Azam Tariq and condemned the statement of Prime Minister Jamali in the US in which he described the incident as religious terrorism.

Talking to a group of newsmen after the adjournment of the National Assembly session here on Tuesday, MMA deputy parliamentary leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the prime minister had declared this incident religious terrorism and a reaction to the Karachi incident.

The MMA leader, who was accompanied by other opposition leaders, said it was wrong to call it a sectarian killing as there was a complete harmony in the country between the two sects. Without elaborating, he said it seemed that the government wanted to put the responsibility of the incident on the MMA.

He said Azam Tariq had been killed at a toll plaza where security guards and police remained alert and stopped all vehicles to collect the toll tax. He said there was no doubt that the MMA had differences with Azam Tariq because he was sitting on Treasury benches. Despite this, he said, they attended his Namaz-i-Janaza where slogans were also raised against them.

He criticized the police and intelligence agencies for giving what he called a free hand to the people, who damaged private property.

Raja Pervez Ashraf of the PPP said the killing and violence in different parts of the capital showed that the government had failed to protect life and property of the people.