KARACHI, July 21: Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad has warned that any attempt to postpone the elections will lead the country to anarchy and only elections can bring political stability.

“By amending the Constitution and imposing ban on political parties activities, efforts are being made to provoke them to boycott the elections. Gen Pervez Musharraf is getting upset as the elections approach and he wants to escape from the polls,” the JI chief claimed.

Qazi Hussain Ahmad was addressing a party workers convention in an open ground adjacent to the Urdu Science College on Saturday night.

The moot, which was part of the preparations for the election, was also addressed by JI Naib Amir Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Asadullah Bhutto, Dr Mairajul Huda and Nasrullah Shaji.

The JI chief said Karachi was the heart of Muslim world and the people of the city were being penalised for their love for Islam.

When Karachi was moving towards glory, prejudices were fanned there and an atmosphere was created which forced flight of capital and investors from the city, he pointed out.

He said once again people of Karachi were being led by patriotic and religious leadership whose efforts were to put the metropolis on the road to progress and prosperity, provide employment, health and other necessities of life to the people and turn the city into a city of peace.

Qazi held the bureaucracy responsible for hindering development in the country. He claimed that Nazim Naimatullah Khan had decided to reduce education fee by 50 per cent but the education secretary had blocked the move.

Referring to the constitutional amendments the JI chief said they would changed the federal character of the Constitution by depriving the provinces of autonomy.

He reiterated his stand that the permanent political role assigned to the army by creating the National Security Council was contrary to the military’s pledge of refraining from politics.

“After elections, Pervez Musharraf wants to become a dictator and he already has handed over the entire country to the United States without consultation with anyone. US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s counters have been set up at airports while over 100 centres have been functioning in the country, threatening its independence, sovereignty and solidarity,” he said.

He said Kashmiri Mujahideen had been left alone despite the fact that the existence of Pakistan army owed to the Kashmir issue while operation had been launched against religious and Jihadi organisations which used to be the arms of the army.

He said that by forming the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the religious parties had met the demand of the people and now it was the turn of the people to fully participate in the elections and make the MMA a success.

Referring to the performance of the army, the JI chief said that when the power system was handed over to the army its losses were Rs4 billion which had increased to Rs50 billion.

Prof Ghafoor said the measures being taken by Pervez Musharraf were increasing the sense of deprivation among the provinces and weakening the roots of federation.

“The people of Karachi are suffering much more than perhaps any other city. The rules have made the life of common man miserable. Any attempt to form a handpicked parliament would prove more costly to the ruler then the politicians,” he warned.