LAHORE, Jan 13: ARD president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan has said that the steps announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf against terrorism, sectarian violence and intolerance in his address to the nation are aimed at appeasing the United States and India.

Speaking at the Afzal Haq Seminar organized by the Majlis-i-Ahrar-i-Islam on Sunday, the ARD president said that the conditions like securing no objection certificates for every new mosque or religious seminary were unprecedented. Even the British had not imposed such restrictions during their rule.

He said that the hatred against the politics and the politicians was a common trait between President Musharraf and former military rulers. He said that a great responsibility lay with ulema and religious seminaries under the present circumstances as the president was trying to emulate Kamal Attaturk.

Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan said that the changes in Afghanistan had made its 1,400 kilometres border with Pakistan insecure as some of the Northern Alliance ministers had visited New Delhi and expressed solidarity with India.

He said that the western media was critical of the Taliban for forcing the women to wear “burqa” but was mum when the Northern Alliance solidiers were busy looting and raping women after the defeat of the Taliban who were being kept in iron cages along with the Al Qaeda members.

Majlis-i-Ahrar amir Syed Attaul Mohaiman Bokhari said that the Holy Quran did not stop anyone from earning money. It only opposed amassing of wealth. He said that the Holy Quran was not against the capitalism. It was opposed to the capitalists who amassed wealth. Good capitalists utilized their money for promotion of the religion.