Speakers, including Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, vehemently opposed the president’s decision to hold referendum to stay on the post.
They appeared determined not to join the process of the referendum and also urged their followers to keep themselves aloof of the referendum as it was being held in clear violation of the constitution.
The public meeting to express solidarity with the Palestinian Muslims was organized by a joint forum of religious parties- Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal- at Nishter Park.
Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani, president of the Majlis, presided over the meeting that continued for one and half hours.
The meeting was attended by emotionally charged people politico-religious activists. They chanted slogans against Israel and America. A section of the crowd also held banners supporting Osama, Mullah Omer and Fazlur Rehman.
Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, said that the land of Palestine was the land of the Muslims and body should dare deprive them of it. He criticised Muslim rulers, leaders of the OIC and the Arab League for failing the Ummah and comprising with the enemies of Islam for their personal interests.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed said that the constitution of Pakistan did not allow any referendum for election of presidents and only members of the parliament could elect a president. He said that the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan had decided to boycott the referendum.
He said that General Musharraf wanted to introduce the presidential system of government which would not allow autonomy to the provinces. He claimed that Nazims had informed President Musharraf about their inability to support him in the process of referendum as they had already disassociated themselves from political activities having been elected on non-party basis.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s chief, MAulana Fazlur Rehman, said: “our rulers could be under the influence of America but we the people of the country would never bow to it.
He opposed the referendum saying it would be a mockery of the Supreme Court’s decision under which the President was supposed to wind up before October 12. He urged the Supreme Court to prevent Pervez Musharraf from extending the term of his presidency. He said the people would not accept Musharraf and there would be a complete boycott of the referendum.
Chief of the JUP and president of the Muttahida Majlis-e- Amal, Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani, said that another Salahuddin Ayubi would emerge from within the Muslim Ummah, who would avenge the Muslims on Sharon and Bush.
He said that America, which claimed to be waging a war against terrorism, was itself was committing acts of terror and had not right to speak against terrorism. “The issue of Palestine will not be resolved by the world community or the Palestinian leadership, the only way to survive is Jihad”, he said.
He said that Israel had got the blessings of America which wanted to see it as the “sole power” in the Middle East. He also led a “Dua”.
Through a resolution the meeting demanded of the Muslim rulers, world organisations, and human right bodies to ensure an immediate end to oppression in Palestine.
Maulana Sami-ul-Haq of the JUP (S), Dr Khalid Mahmood of the Al-Aqsa Foundation and Qari Sher Afzal Sher Afzal also spoke on the occasion.