ISLAMABAD, June 3: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) president Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Friday accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of plotting to kill him and other prominent leaders of his party. Speaking at a news conference at his residence here, he alleged that the MQM, under the patronage of some government agencies, was trying to eliminate its opponents in the urban Sindh, especially Karachi, to ensure its victory in the forthcoming local council polls.

He also alleged that the government had recently allocated Rs1 billion for the MQM to help it win the polls.

Qazi Hussain said: “We will remain peaceful under all circumstances.”

The MMA leader, who was expected to speak about his differences with MMA secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rehman on the issue of the latter and the NWFP chief minister attending the National Security Council (NSC), refused to answer questions on the subject and only said: “We are friendly and too close to each other and could solve our problems within the house.”

He said: “We will do whatever Maulana Fazlur Rehman will like us to do to keep our unity.”

The MMA chief said that the torturing and killing of an IJT student, JI Landhi nazim Tahir Jamal and JI Karachi Naib Amir Aslam Mujahid in quick succession were proof of the designs of the terrorists.

When asked if he thought that the situation called for fresh elections, Qazi Hussain said: “Not under President Gen Pervez Musharraf for as long as he is in power no fair, free and transparent election can be held.”

He said his party would take part in the local council elections to confront the manipulating forces.

He accused the American, Indian and Israeli nexus of trying to destabilize Pakistan by creating unrest with the help of the government and its agencies.

He said two American authors had suggested to their government to first eliminate the present Jihadis and then stop the growth of new Jihadis by changing the syllabi in Pakistan.

He did not agree with a suggestion that MMA movement against Gen Musharraf had lost momentum. He said that the MMA had recently held rallies to protest the desecration of the Holy Quran by the US forces.

Asked when would the alliance’s supreme council meet to decide on the NSC issue, he said it could be called any time and that depended on Maulana Fazlur Rehman.