RAWALPINDI, Sept 21: The local activists of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have condemned the arrest of a party candidate in Wah.

In a joint statement, the MMA leaders, including Mohammad Abbas Butt, Raja Mohammad Zaheer Khan, Maulana Abdul Jalil, Mohammad Sadiq Hassan, Raja Abdul Waheed, Malik Mohammad Azam, said the arrest of their alliance candidate, Prof Mohammad Waqas, who is contesting elections for PP-8 (Wah Cantt) showed the biased approach of the president, Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Raising voice in support of labourers and for the rights of people is no crime, they added.

The party leaders demanded the immediate release of their candidate and asked for the withdrawal of what they call a ‘fabricated case’.

Prof Waqas was arrested after he made an anti-government at a public rally.

Such illegal arrests can vitiate the peaceful atmosphere, the leaders added. They also demanded of the Election Commission to take notice of the incident.

“The MMA will root out corruption and other illegal practices from the society,” the party activists said.