KARACHI, Jan 20: Allama Shah Ahmed Noorani, chief of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, observing that war clouds were hovering over Iraq, strongly condemned the United States for war-mongering.

Addressing a news conference here on Monday, Maulana Noorani also deplored the US for subjecting Pakistanis in America to intimidation and harassment.

Criticizing the treatment being meted out to Pakistanis in the United States under the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) laws, the MMA chief urged Islamabad to ask the US troops in Pakistan to vacate bases and quit the country.

He also deplored the government for providing facilities to the FBI to carry out raids on Pakistani soil and take action against local citizens.

Maulana Noorani rejected as ‘dubious’ the government claim that it was providing only intelligence sharing and logistical support to the US in the ongoing operation.

He insisted that the government should also ensure registration of US nationals entering Pakistan.

Calling for a review of the foreign policy towards the US, he said: “We should speak with the US in a manner North Korea does,” He said that the MMA would requisition National Assembly session to hold debates on all issues of national importance, particularly the US attitude towards Pakistan.

The MMA president pointed out that a Pakistani student of aeronautics was arrested in the US when he approached the relevant authorities for his registration under the INS laws.

He said it was strange that while engaged in talks with North Korea, the US was adamant on waging a war against Iraq. Washington, he alleged, wanted to take over Iraq’s oil resources and strengthen Israel. This, he added, was despite the fact that the UN experts had so far discovered no weapon of mass destruction in Iraq.

Maulana Noorani observed that 22 million Iraqis had already suffered the devastating effects of the damage during and after the previous US onslaught on their country. The attack alone, he recalled, claimed the lives of more than 3,500 civilians. Another 111,000 civilians died after the attack, he said and added that 70,000 of the victims appeared to be under the age of 15 years. Out of the total 205,000 or more dead, 70 per cent were civilians, he said.

Turning to the national politics, he said that the alliance would not accept General Musharraf as ‘President in uniform’. The reiterated the MMA stance that President should be elected according to provisions laid down in the Constitution.