JACOBABAD, April 8: Deputy parliamentary leader of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in the National Assembly Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri has said that the Lal Masjid issue has been whipped up at this stage to defame Islam.

Talking to journalists at a tea party on Saturday night, the Maulana who is also central secretary general of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) said that American pressure was behind talks between the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and the government.

He said that the PPP had deceived the opposition by holding talks with Musharraf and stressed that they would never accept the president in uniform. He blasted Gen Musharraf's attempts at trying to solve all the problems through guns and bullets and said that they would only add to the crisis. MMA’s countrywide agitation against Musharraf would prove to be a final round in dislodging rulers, he claimed.

Referring to Kalabagh Dam, army operation in Balochistan and Waziristan he said that hatred was being created among the provinces and they were being deprived of their legitimate rights.

Maulana termed the president’s action against Justice Iftikhar as the blackest chapter in the history of the country and said that the alliance was ready lay down any sacrifice for the dignity and honour of judiciary and would continue support lawyers.

He expressed his sympathies with Hindu leaders Lal Chand Seetalani, Srichand Bhawanani and Dev Anand and condemned the kidnapping of Om Prakash who was however released by his captors after about a month on Sunday.

He said that kidnappings for ransom and robberies had become order of the day in the province.

JUI leaders who were present included central Salar Azizullah Satiqzai, Moulana Abdullah Jatak, Moulana Abdul Ghani, Qari Mohammad Saleh Khoso, Niaz Ahmed Khoso, and others.

ACCIDENT: A man was killed on the spot and four others suffered injuries when their datsun overturned in Miranpur Buriro on Sunday.