RAWALPINDI, May 8: The Jamaat-i-Islami has announced its 15- point strategy to cope with the challenges confronting the country regarding its security and solidarity.

The JI leader, MNA Mian Mohammad Aslam, in a press release issued here on Saturday, described the salient features of the strategy.

The JI has demanded freedom of working for the Parliament with an assurance that it would be allowed to complete its term.

The press release said the issue of giving up the army chief's office by President Gen Pervez Musharraf was a constitutional binding and should not be exposed to skepticism. The party asked the president to step down as the army chief latest by December 31.

The JI urged the president to stop meddling in administrative affairs of the government.

The statement said the state institutions should be purged from serving and retired military officers, while efforts should be made to abolish the outdated colonial customs from the army. Presence of serving generals in the National Security Council tantamount to violation of their oath barring them from taking part in politics, it added.

The press release said judiciary and the army should also be brought in the accountability net.

The JI also called for adoption of effective steps to make Pakistan a welfare Islamic state in accordance with the Constitution, besides ensuring just and equitable distribution of wealth.

It said reliance on foreign countries should be stopped and Friday should be restored as weekly holiday.

The religious party highlighted the need for granting constitutional autonomy to the provinces. Issues relating to distribution of water, wealth and economic resources should be resolved without delay.

The press release said the government should cut down its non-development expenditure by 50 per cent and spend the savings on development and ensuring jobs for the educated youth and checking the price hike and lawlessness.

It further said the Parliament should be taken into confidence regarding the transparency of privatization process.

The party's recently-announced strategy stressed formulation of a new education policy reflecting the ideology of Pakistan, Islamic morality and civilization. Changes made in the curricula by the 'secular elements' should be abolished. A unified national curricula should be devised which duly protect the ideology, civic values, and historic and contemporary needs, it added.

The statement said health care facilities should be ensured for the entire population, and private hospitals should be subjected to a certain code, barring these from exploiting the masses and minting money.

It said the nuclear capability should be guarded at all cost and 'detained' nuclear scientists should be released forthwith. The US and the IAEA influence, under the cover of protecting the country's nuclear assets, should be denied strongly, it added.

The JI said effective measures in accordance with the UN resolutions should be adopted for the solution of 57-year-old Kashmir dispute.

The party called for restructuring of foreign policy which it said was need of the hour. The policy should be formulated in such a way that it guarantees freedom, national pride, and the collective good of Pakistan and the Muslim world, it added.