PESHAWAR, Aug 10: Islami Jamiat Tulaba said on Tuesday that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government in the NWFP had failed to raise its voice against controversial changes in curriculum.

IJT's provincial chief Shahabuddin told a press conference that they had discussed the issue with provincial ministers repeatedly, but to no avail. He said the IJT, the student wing of the Jamaat-i-Islami, had decided to launch a series of agitation during August at all district headquarters, colleges and universities to convey to the government people's reservations on the proposed changes.

He warned that the IJT would surround the Frontier House if the government failed to take any initiative latest by Sept 15. He alleged that the changes in the curriculum had been made on Washington's diktats.

The IJT leader said that these 'un-Islamic, anti-state' and 'immoral texts' were not acceptable to Pakistani society. He said the provincial education department had formed two committees headed by Prof Qibal Ayaz and Mr Manzoor Ahmed but, he added, all these attempts had proved to be cosmetic steps taken to pacify critics.

He pointed out that being part of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government the JI was equally responsible for these delaying tactics on the matter as its minister had failed to raise the issue at the cabinet meetings.