KARACHI, Dec 17: A large number of supporters of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Friday held a protest demonstration at the Karachi Press Club, against the recent price hike , the president's uniform and for the return of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans they chanted slogans against President Pervez Musharraf and demanded him to step down both as president and chief of the army staff for his failure in providing relief to the masses. They also called for the return of Pakistanis in Bangladesh.

Addressing the occasion, MMA MNA Abdul Sattar Afghani said it were the steps of a military dictator, which led to the separation of East Pakistan, and now the other was trying to separate the tribal areas.

He deplored that the chief of army staff who had pledged not to indulge himself into politics was ruling over the country and trying to legitimize the military's role in politics, in violation of the Constitution.

About the stranded Pakistanis, Mr Afghani said those, who had made promises for bringing the stranded Pakistanis back, had forgotten their promises after coming into power.

"They even failed to present and adopt a resolution in the Sindh Assembly for the purpose," he said. The Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami Karachi, Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui said the separation of East Pakistan proved that generals couldn't run the affairs of the government satisfactorily. He said a prolonged military dictatorship would cause irreparable loss to democracy and the country. - PPI