KARACHI, March 20: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal reiterated on Sunday its call for a countrywide strike on April 2 in protest against soaring prices and to highlight various demands of the alliance. MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, speaking at a ?million march? rally on the M.A. Jinnah Road near Tibet Centre, said the strike would be a referendum against the government of Gen Pervez Musharraf. Besides the issue of continuous increase in prices of foodstuff and items of everyday use, Qazi Hussain and other leaders also spoke on unemployment, increasing poverty and the secular policies of the government. At the end of the rally, people responded vociferously to slogans raised from the rostrum - including ?Go Musharraf go?, ?Down with US culture and system? and ?long live Mustafawi culture and system.?
Referring to what he called the massive response to the ?million march?, Qazi Hussain said it demonstrated that people were against Gen Musharraf.
Since Dec 31 2004, he said, Gen Musharraf?s government had been unconstitutional and illegal. He accused the general of playing in the hands of the US and distorting the country?s Islamic identity and said that the nation would not accept any general or a US nominee as a replacement of Gen Musharraf.
The MMA chief criticized the prime minister?s claims about economic progress and said that his policies as finance minister had given nothing but misery to the people. ?Flour which was available at Rs 8 per kg five years ago is selling at Rs 18, petrol price has gone up from Rs 24 per liter to Rs 46 and diesel from Rs 10 to Rs 30, power and gas charges are almost double.?
The MMA chief criticized the privatization policy which, he said, had added to unemployment and accused the government of throwing away national assets.
He also criticized the government for allowing the Aga Khan Board to conduct examinations, saying that the entire education system was being handed over to the Aga Khan.
Referring to the ?enlightened and moderation? slogan of Gen Musharraf he said it meant a version of Islam acceptable to the US and Europe.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that in the past constitution was trampled, parliament was disbanded
and democracy was murdered and now democracy, parliament and the constitution had
been held hostage by Gen Musharraf.
He said that the people?s ?carvan? and struggle would continue for making the country a truly Islamic welfare state and a sovereign and independent country with genuine democracy and supremacy of constitution and parliament.
He said there was neither law in the country nor any order; there was no security for
life, property and honour of
people.
He said that like in the NWFP where the MMA was in power there would be rule of law in Sindh if the government in the province was in the hands of the MMA.
Maulana Fazl who is secretary-general of the MMA, criticized the United States for occupying Afghanistan and Iraq and terming it liberation of the people.
He accused the US and President Bush of behaving like terrorists and pushing the world towards war.
He severely criticized Gen Musharraf for bombing the ?innocent people of Waziristan and killing its own people by launching an operation in Balochistan.?
He also lashed out at Gen Musharraf for trying to make changes in the blasphemy law and Hudood laws and for deleting the religion column from the passport
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan said it was time to raise voice against the rule of Gen Musharraf. He said the general?s terminology of ?enlightened Islam? was meant slavery of the West.
He accused the government of bombing its own people in Waziristan and Balochistan at the behest of the United States.
Referring to what he called the massive response to the ?million march?, Qazi Hussain said it demonstrated that people were against Gen Musharraf.
Since Dec 31 2004, he said, Gen Musharraf?s government had been unconstitutional and illegal. He accused the general of playing in the hands of the US and distorting the country?s Islamic identity and said that the nation would not accept any general or a US nominee as a replacement of Gen Musharraf.
The MMA chief criticized the prime minister?s claims about economic progress and said that his policies as finance minister had given nothing but misery to the people. ?Flour which was available at Rs 8 per kg five years ago is selling at Rs 18, petrol price has gone up from Rs 24 per liter to Rs 46 and diesel from Rs 10 to Rs 30, power and gas charges are almost double.?
The MMA chief criticized the privatization policy which, he said, had added to unemployment and accused the government of throwing away national assets.
He also criticized the government for allowing the Aga Khan Board to conduct examinations, saying that the entire education system was being handed over to the Aga Khan.
Referring to the ?enlightened and moderation? slogan of Gen Musharraf he said it meant a version of Islam acceptable to the US and Europe.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that in the past constitution was trampled, parliament was disbanded
and democracy was murdered and now democracy, parliament and the constitution had
been held hostage by Gen Musharraf.
He said that the people?s ?carvan? and struggle would continue for making the country a truly Islamic welfare state and a sovereign and independent country with genuine democracy and supremacy of constitution and parliament.
He said there was neither law in the country nor any order; there was no security for
life, property and honour of
people.
He said that like in the NWFP where the MMA was in power there would be rule of law in Sindh if the government in the province was in the hands of the MMA.
Maulana Fazl who is secretary-general of the MMA, criticized the United States for occupying Afghanistan and Iraq and terming it liberation of the people.
He accused the US and President Bush of behaving like terrorists and pushing the world towards war.
He severely criticized Gen Musharraf for bombing the ?innocent people of Waziristan and killing its own people by launching an operation in Balochistan.?
He also lashed out at Gen Musharraf for trying to make changes in the blasphemy law and Hudood laws and for deleting the religion column from the passport
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan said it was time to raise voice against the rule of Gen Musharraf. He said the general?s terminology of ?enlightened Islam? was meant slavery of the West.
He accused the government of bombing its own people in Waziristan and Balochistan at the behest of the United States.