KARACHI, Feb 27: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's acting president, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has demanded to stop forthwith the ongoing operation in Wana, South Waziristan.
Qazi Hussain Ahmad, who is also the chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, was talking to a group of journalists at Quaid-i-Azam International Airport on his arrival here from Peshawar on Friday.
"People in the tribal areas are our loyal colleagues and defenders of the country. The government should restrain itself from playing the game of enemy, who want to pit the army against tribal people," he said.
"The army is playing a dangerous game and should desist from playing in the hands of the enemy," he advised and said that the foreign elements in Wana were the people, who were invited by the Pakistan government and western powers to wage struggle against Russian intervention in Afghanistan. "They are freedom loving people who fought against Russian intervention," he added.
Mr Qazi said that the operation against Osama Bin Laden, Mulla Omar and other Mujahideen was not an easy task, as they were the heroes of 95 per cent people of Pakistan.
The MMA leader said after the operation of Waziristan, the next target of western powers would be the nuclear programme of Pakistan. In these circumstances, the MMA would not remain silent spectator and would not leave the nation alone and would raise the voice for the sovereignty of the country from every platform.
He said that the MMA leaders, who met here on Thursday, had decided to hold its general council session after Ashura in the first week of March and deliberate on the prevailing situation in the country.
"We stand by the nation and would not hesitate to give any sacrifice for the sovereignty and solidarity of the country," he remarked. The JI chief said that the slogan of General Musharraf -Pakistan comes first- was beyond comprehension of anyone and asked if it means extending cooperation to the US against Islamic countries like Afghanistan, abandoning freedom struggle of Kashmiris, humiliating nuclear scientists and surrendering before India.
Mr Qazi said that the policy of Gen Musharraf could appease the US and India, but it was not in the interest of Pakistan. About the leader of opposition in the Parliament, he said that the MMA was the single largest party in the parliament, therefore, it was MMA's right claim over the office of leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate.
Later on Friday afternoon, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, who is here on a short visit visited Sahibzada Anas Ahmad Noorani at his residence and greeted him on performing Haj.