KARACHI, Sept 8: The leaders of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal have said that no opportunity would be provided to the government to postpone elections despite provocations like the uncalled for arrest of the alliance leaders in Lahore.

Talking to newsmen at the Karachi airport on Sunday, the MMA leaders said that alliance would continue its struggle for the restoration of democracy despite hurdles being created by the bureaucracy.

Speaking on the occasion, the MMA chief, Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani, said the government was afraid of the popularity of the alliance among masses. “We have been carrying out our election campaign within the limits of the code of conduct but the bureaucracy wants to block our campaign as it wants to provide an open field to the pro-government parties. Their action in Lahore is a proof of their incompetence. The caravan of democracy could not be stopped before its reaches its destination.”

“Every time the rulers start losing ground, they are made to stand on the crutches of bureaucracy, but like in the past, this time too they are destined to fail in their efforts. People would not accept any rigged elections,” he maintained.

MMA Secretary-General and chief of Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad said the action taken against alliance leaders in Lahore was aimed at strengthening the government of an individual. The authorities wanted to get desired results from the election. The people would not allow any dictatorship and any obstacle created between people and the MMA would be demolished, he said.

Maulana Samiul Haque, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, termed the Lahore incident a shameful act. He said the MMA was in touch with like-minded parties and holding talks for seat adjustment to counter the challenge of king’s party.

Earlier, a large number of leaders and workers of the MMA component parties, including Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Syed Munawwar Hasan, Abdul Sattar Afghani, Qari Sher Afzal, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid, Maulana Hashim Siddiqui and others gathered at the airport to welcome the alliance leaders.