SUKKUR, April 25: Secretary General of the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has said that US economy was in a shambles with its trade deficit shooting up to $800 billion from $640 billion.

Addressing members of the Sukkur District Bar Association here on Monday, the Maulana observed that in order to save its dwindling economy, the United States was trying to occupy oil and other mineral resources of the Arab world.

He said that major powers had always subjected weak nations to slavery by depriving them of their economic and social rights.

He said that the United States after 9/11, first targeted Afghanistan and later Iraq, just to give a fillip to its dwindling economy.

He said that ‘we do not want war either with the United States or Europe, rather we wish to have cordial relations with all the countries,’ but they must ‘respect our sovereignty and independence’.

He said that while the Muslim world was being denied access to nuclear technology Israel

had been given a free hand to avail all these facilities and termed the US policy double standard.

He said that we are against forcible occupation of resources, adding that “people were well aware of the happenings around the globe, due to the extensive role of media. Occupying other nations through use of force was nothing but daydreaming.

He said that Islam was an enlightened and moderate religion, which was against wars and advocated friendly relations among nations.

He asked those who were criticizing the Muttahida Majlis Amal, to take a judicious view of MMA’s NWFP government, which with limited powers, had done a lot for the people of the province, especially women.

Earlier, President of the District Bar, Sukkur, Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah Masoomi, in his welcome address assured full cooperation to the opposition for the restoration of democracy in the country.

Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomro and Maulana Mohammad Murad Halejvi also spoke on the occasion.