'Qaumi Fikri Tehrik'

Published November 8, 2004

LAHORE, Nov 7: Some intellectuals and political leaders have assembled on a new platform "to play a joint practical role in political and economic planning and then getting it implemented."

They included Majeed Nizami, Gen Aslam Beg, Gen Hameed Gul, Justice Mian Nazir Akhtar (retired), High Court Bar president Ahmad Awais, Advocate Hamid Khan, Engineer Saleemullah Khan, economist Dr Rafiq Ahmad, Dr Muneeruddin Chughtai, Safdar Hasan Siddiqui, K.M Azam, Brig Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Dr MA Sufi and others.

The platform, Qaumi Fikri Tehrik Pakistan, will work for resisting deviation from UN resolutions on Kashmir, ensuring supremacy of constitution and rule of law, eliminating poverty, and taking steps against house arrests of innocent citizens, including nuclear scientists.

Engineer Saleemullah told reporters after the maiden meeting of the Tehrik here on Sunday that the measures they were intending to take after gaining influence in the country included distribution of Rs300 billion out of Rs600 billion taxes as well as Rs26 billion Zakat fund among the poor.

It would restrict holding of landed property to 25 acres per family, distributing the surplus land among the landless. Similarly, the capital limit would also be fixed while a new structure of establishment would be framed.