Mir won’t endorse deal

Published December 30, 2003

LAHORE, Dec 29: Senator and MMA central vice-president Prof Sajid Mir says he will not endorse the deal struck between the religious alliance and the government regarding the 17th amendment bill.

Prof Mir, who is also chief of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith, told members of his party here that he would never become a part of the deal and would rather oppose in the Senate the clause of the agreement that would restore president’s power to dissolve assemblies.

He said he would also go against the MMA decision that it would not oppose Gen Musharraf during vote of confidence. “I will vote against Gen Musharraf in the Senate because he is an unconstitutional and un-Islamic ruler.”

He, however, made it clear that he would not part ways with the alliance despite his differences with rest of the leaders.

Prof Mir said he was against the clause 58(2)B because the legality of the president’s act would be judged by the superior courts which were “already under the influence of the army.”

Meanwhile, central executive council of the Jamiat decided to hold an all-Pakistan Ahle Hadith conference in Sargodha in March next. It also decided to launch a workers contact drive shortly.

Criticizing “surrender” by Gen Musharraf on Kashmir issue, it also extended party’s unflinching support to Kashmiri Mujahideen.

It condemned debriefing of nuclear scientists on a US dictation.

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