KARACHI, May 12: Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, a central leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Naib Amir of the Jamaat-i-Islami, has said that people, by responding positively to the strike call for Friday, rejected the rulers’ ‘anti-people and anti-country policies’.

“Despite all pressures, the strike emerged successful which is the writing on the wall for the rulers,” he said while addressing a press conference at the JI office, Idara Noor-i-Haq, here on Friday.

He expressed his gratitude, on behalf of all religious and political parties, to businessman community, transporters and all other people for observing the historic and peaceful strike.The MMA had given the call for the strike to protest against the killing of nine MMA workers by terrorists on the eve of the May 12, 2004 by-election, the government’s failure in arresting their killers and those involved in the April 11 bombing at Nishtar Park, razing of old villages, price-hike, undeclared load-shedding and an abnormal increase in petroleum prices.

Prof Ghafoor said that Gen Musharraf’s holding of the office of president and army chief was illegal and unconstitutional and, as such, he must step down to pave the way for a caretaker set up to conduct free and fair elections in the country.

Referring to the situation in Sindh, he held the governor and home minister responsible for lawlessness, killings and plunder, particularly in Karachi, and reiterated the MMA’s stand that unless they were removed, peace could not return to the province.

He said that MQM’s support at the centre and in Sindh had become Gen Musharraf’s weak point and, as such, the military rulers had given that party a free hand. “The government, instead of promoting constructive activities, had indulged itself in destruction as evident from the campaign to demolish poor people’s villages.

He reminded the rulers that Gen Musharraf himself had pledged publicly, in his address at Shahrah-i-Quaideen, to regularise all katchi abadis. “But today, the government has resorted to shooting and has already killed two persons for protesting demolition of their houses.”

Prof Ghafoor told journalists that the Goth Bachao Committees were holding meetings to finalize a future course of action which might be announced shortly.

Those who were present at the press conference included Rashid Rabbani and Rafique Engineer of the PPP, Allama Hasan Turabi of the IT, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui of the JI, Mamnoon Hussain of the PML-N, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid of the JUI-F, Obaidullah of the JUP, Mufti Usmanyar Khan of the JUI-S, Zubair Khan of the TI, Shahi Syed of the ANP, Basharat Mirza of the PDP, Maulana Afzal Sardar of the MJAH, Usman Baloch of the NWP and Ali Hasan Chandio of the STPP.