KARACHI, Dec 22: The deputy chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, has termed amendments to Hudood ordinance an extra constitutional measure of General Musharraf, which is not only contrary to Quran and Sunnah but also violation of the constitution.

Speaking at a post-strike conference held at Idara Noor-i-Haq on Friday. The JI leader said it was unconstitutional to frame any law contrary to Quran and the Sunnah. However, to introduce minor changes it must be referred to the Islamic Ideology Council but even this procedure was bypassed in adopting amendments to the Hudood ordinance, he added.

Prof Ghafoor said that by observing strike in a peaceful manner, people had once again proved that they would not tolerate any law repugnant to Islam.

The JI leader said that General Musharraf was inciting women to dance and sing and through TV programmes inciting them to take off their head scarves. He expressed gratitude to traders and transporters who defied official pressure to open their business and demonstrated their commitment with their faith by joining peaceful strike voluntarily.

Mohammad Siddique Rathore, Allama Osmanyar Khan, Qari Mohammad Usman, Maulana Asad Thanvi, Allama Nazir Abbas Taqvi, Zubair Khan and Hamid Mehmood were also present.

Earlier, speaking at a rally at Lasbela Chowk, Jamaat-i-Islami Karachi chief Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, Mohammad Hussain Mehanti, Nasrullah Shaji, Abdul Haleem Ghauri said that people’s response had proved that the nation would not tolerate those who wanted to make their daughters dance at gun point and the day was not far when people would start a ‘long march’ towards Islamabad.

He said that as long as the MMA and Majlis Tahaffuz-i-Hudood Allah (MTHA) existed, no conspiracy of General Musharraf would succeed to make the country into a secular state.

MTHA leader Mufti Mohammad Naeem, in a statement said the successful strike was evident of the fact that Ummah believed in non-violence and would not hesitate to give any sacrifice for the supremacy of Quran and Sunnah and Karachiites had proved that they were peaceful and Islam-loving citizens.