GUJRANWALA, June 21: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal organized a special force comprising 1,000 youths, including activists of Shabab-i-Milli, to combat the obscenity and gambling.

This was stated by MMA leader Maulana Qazi Hamidullah while speaking at a function arranged in the honour of MMA activists released from jail at Satellite Town here on Saturday.

The Maulana paid rich tributes to those activists who were arrested by police on the charge of torching a circus during an anti-obscenity campaign. He, however, denied that MMA activists were involved in torching the circus and said that it was set on fire by government officials to defame the MMA.

He assured the activists that the case registered against them under the terrorism act would be got dismissed. He said that the campaign against obscenity and other evils would continue without any fear.

MMA district president Hafiz Hamid Akhter, JI secretary-general Maulana Obaidul Rehman Madni, city amir Maulana Navidul Hassan Hasani, Shabab-i-Milli patron Hafiz Hameeduddin Awan and others also spoke on the occasion.

PROTEST: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) strongly protested against excise and taxation officials for harassing medical officers and asking them to pay professional tax.

Speaking at a meeting here on Saturday presided over by PMA president Dr Ishtiaq Safder Tarer, the participants said the government had imposed Rs7,000 professional tax on specialists and dental surgeons and Rs1,500 on general practitioners without any valid reason. They said they were already paying several taxes to the government.