KARACHI, Feb 9: The secretary-general of Tehrik-i-Insaf, Mairaj Mohammad Khan, has taken exception to US President George Bush’s remarks in which he termed three Asian countries, including two Muslim countries, an “axis of evil”.

“This amounts to bullying the developing countries of Asia,” the TI leader said.

He noted with concern the facilities being offered to the US forces at the selected airports in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan might be used as a launching pad to attack Iran which would have disastrous implications on the security of Pakistan and peace and stability of the entire region.

He urged the United Nations to take cognizance of the American president’s threats to the three small countries of Asia and take appropriate steps to protect the independence and sovereignty of these nations. “If the UN fails to perform its duty in protecting small nations against the big powers then it will lose all its credibility,” he said.

Iran and Iraq, he said, were pursuing a peaceful nuclear programme and were open to scrutiny of the international inspectors. In fact, both countries had been subjected to strict scrutiny on many occasions by the international agencies and there was no evidence of preparation of any weapons of mass destruction.

“On the contrary, if any single country can be accused of maintaining the most destructive arsenal capable of human destruction, it is the US,” he said.

He urged the government to approach the European powers and seek their help against America’s threats to the three countries of Asia.

“The TI is approaching all the parties to organize rallies in small and big cities of Pakistan against the US,” he said.

The TI leader said that he had already written a letter to his party chief on this issue.