LAHORE, Feb 19: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal vice-president Prof Sajid Mir has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s announcement of not giving bases to the United States for attacking Iraq.

Talking to various delegations here on Wednesday, he said the Saudi foreign minister’s statement in this regard was encouraging. He urged the need for immediately convening an OIC meeting to frame a joint stance of the Muslim Ummat on the issue.

Mr Mir, who is also president of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith, criticized the government for not releasing Dr Khwaja Ahmad Javed and his family members despite a ruling by the high court in this regard. He termed the government act contempt of court. Meanwhile, MJAH spokesman Amjad Ajmal has reacted to education minister Zubaida Jalal’s statement about introducing reforms in religious seminaries.