KARACHI, Jan 18: The leadership of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Sunday pledged to continue its mission to "unite the Ummah" and "enforce the establishment of Nizam-i-Mustafa".

Paying rich tributes to Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani for his leadership capabilities, commitment and unimpeachable character, they said MMA was a gift to the nation from the alliance's late chief. MMA was not a political party, they said, but a movement to enforce the establishment of Nizam-i-Mustafa.

The MMA leaders said this at the Chehlum meeting of late Maulana Noorani, who was also the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan. Besides MMA leaders, several religious leaders spoke on the occasion.

The meeting, held soon after a Quran-i-Khwani at Amir Khusro Park, Clifton, was presided over by the JUP's acting President Prof Shah Faridul Haque and conducted by Sahibzada Abul-Khair Zubair. In addition to the religious leaders, a large number of devotees and party workers attended the function.

When the late Maulana's son, Sahibzada Shah Ans Noorani Siddiqui, was asked to address the gathering he got a standing ovation. Shah Ans Noorani, who was elected to lead the World Islamic Mission on Saturday, briefly recounted the services of his father for setting up missions abroad to check anti-Islam propaganda and to project the true picture of the religion.

Pledging to continue his father's mission, he urged all those present to extend full support to MMA which, he said, would ultimately emerge victorious. Prof Shah Faridul Haque said Maulana Noorani was a practising Muslim and during his long association with him he did not find any contradiction.

Qazi Hussain Ahmad, acting President of MMA, said the best way to pay tribute to late Maulana Noorani was to protect MMA, which was a trust. He added that the agreement reached with the government on LFO had been prepared during Maulana Noorani's life and had his approval.

He said the mass contact campaign, which the MMA had launched on Sunday for the enforcement of a 17-point programme for Nizam-i-Mustafa, had also been presented to Gen Pervez Musharraf by Maulana Noorani himself during one of their meetings.

Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Senior Vice-President of National Awami Party, said politics was a difficult game in which right decisions could lead the country to the pinnacle of progress while a small mistake could push the country downhill.

Maulana Noorani's policies were so transparent that he was enchanted with him, he said. The Maulana never bargained with a government and remained in opposition throughout.

Liaquat Baloch, Vice-President of Jamaat-i-Islami, said Maulana Noorani led a successful life and strove throughout his life against forces that wanted to turn the country into a secular state. MMA would continue his mission.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, chief of JUI, said one of the contributions of late Maulana Noorani, Mufti Mehmoud and Prof Ghafoor Ahmad was the 1973 Constitution which came into being because of their foresight.

Imran Khan, Chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, said Maulana Noorani was an enlightened religious scholar. He was fully aware of modern needs and could give lectures on Islam at Harvard and Cambridge universities to dispel propaganda and misconceptions about it, added Mr Khan.