KARACHI, April 2: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Friday staged a protest rally which was part of its countrywide campaign against the ongoing Wana operation.

The alliance organized its demonstration at Dawood Chowrangi, Landhi, which was addressed by the MMA deputy parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Nasrullah Shaji, MPA Maulana Ehsanullah Hazarvi, JI leader Muhammad Aslam Mujahid, Maulana Attaullah, Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman, Maulana Iqbal, Murtaza Ghori, Ashiq Ali and others.

Speaking to the participants of the rally who were holding banners and placards, the speakers termed the operation unnecessary. They said the operation had served to threaten the solidarity of the country.

Mr Shaji said 33 years ago too the army had been "misused" which had resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. Today again the Pakistani army personnel were using their arms and ammunition against their own people on their own land.

He said the Wana operation was going on from Waziristan to Karachi in which the US and its "local agents" were playing a central role. The friends of the US could never be the friends of the Ummah.

Mr Shaji said the operation was being carried out on the direct orders of Gen Pervez Musharraf.