RAWALPINDI, Oct 21: The chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has alleged the military government of working against national interests by supporting the United States in its attacks on Afghanistan.

The Jamaat chief was speaking at a protest rally at Committee Chowk, attended by a little over 5,000 participants drawn from all over Rawalpindi district and Islamabad, here on Sunday. The rally was also attended by leaders of component parties of Afghan Defence Council.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed criticized the government for observing solidarity day and giving a slogan, asking the people to keep Pakistan ahead of all other considerations. He said Islam should be kept ahead of all considerations.

He urged the people to boycott the products, manufactured by the western multi-nationals as the money these companies earned was spent for subjugating Muslims all over the world.

The religious parties, Qazi said, should unite against the common enemy and put behind all differences of opinion. He also invited the Pakistan Muslim League to become a part of this alliance. However, for the Pakistan People’s Party workers, Qazi’s message was that they should question their leadership for siding with the pro-US elements and reminded them it was the same leadership that had provoked them to burn US flags and raise anti-US slogans at the party gatherings.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed also criticized the president for adopting western lifestyle. He accused President Musharraf of destroying the future of the country by changing syllabus and promoting obscenity on television.

Violating the government’s ban on collecting funds for Jihad, the JI chief appealed to the people to donate generously for Jihad and assured them that their money would be spent properly. A little away from the stage, a man with long beard holding a sword in his hand, was collecting funds.

Liaquat Baloch, who is Qazi’s deputy in the JI, charged the military government of siding with the US-led coalition only for the sake of monetary benefits.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam deputy secretary general Hafiz Hussain Ahmad declared General Pervez Musharraf a security risk for the country. He said his party workers had vowed to shoot down the allied forces aircraft, if they operated from Pakistan. The government, he maintained, by giving air bases to the allied forces had threatened national security.

JI leader Hafiz Idrees warned if the government did not give up its support for the campaign against terrorism, the people would march to Islamabad.

The protesters raised anti-US slogans and chanted “Revolution, Revolution” as they burnt effigies of US President Bush and President General Pervez Musharraf.

The protesters began their march from Liaquat Bagh and gathered at Committee Chowk after passing through Liaquat Road, Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Bohr Bazaar and Iqbal Road.

Normal business activities continued in Raja Bazaar and on Murree Road. However, the rally disrupted traffic on Murree Road for several hours, causing inconvenience to the commuters. Police diverted the traffic to Rawal Road. However, those who wanted to reach the area between Rawalpindi General Hospital and Committee Chowk had to face more hardships.

A large number of police officials were present on the occasion to avert any untoward incident.