KARACHI, Aug 29: Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman has termed the induction of new prime minister a mockery of law and said that it had distorted the image of Pakistan.

He said that the ideological direction of President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was leading the in the same direction which was a dangerous sign for the country.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman arrived here from Islamabad along with Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal President Qazi Hussain Ahmad for the first time after a two-month ban on their entry in Sindh.

The MMA leaders arrived here to attend a meeting of the Ittehad Tanzimat Madaris to discuss and formulate joint strategy against raids and interference of the government on madressahs and uncalled for arrest of ulema.

MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the induction of new prime minister had turned the situation more sensitive and crucial. However, he said that opposition parties would go together for constitutional struggle and transfer of power to the elected people by adopting peaceful and democratic way. He said that the struggle would continue for the supremacy of law and against the US intervention.

Referring to the operation in Balochistan, he said that the ongoing military operation in Balochistan was not being carried out in consultation with the provincial government, but, by the institutions who were not authorized to take such decisions.

Fazlur Rehman said that the United States was committing excesses against Muslims. He said that the US was targeting holy places in Iraq and the rulers were supporting them by not condemning such raids.

He said that the US war was not against terrorism but against Muslims. He said: "People in Europe and the US consider our stand justified which had put the US on defensive."

MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that the MMA would continue its constitutional struggle for transfer of power to the real representatives of people. "We would adopt peaceful and democratic means to attain our objective," he added.

He said that President Musharraf would have to take off his uniform by Dec 31 as it was the "constitutional deadline" under the agreement reached between government and MMA.