KARACHI, March 1: The London-based chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, on Friday chided the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for planning a million march against American aggressive designs on Iraq.

He was speaking to the MQM labour division’s 16th convention.

Loaded with sarcasm against the MMA, Mr Hussain made no comment on the US policies vis-a-vis Iraq and its fallout on the Muslim world. He, instead, advised the million march organizers to go to Iraq and join the human shield.

Mr Hussain’s contention was that those who had given a call for the million march and had vowed for jihad should first be concerned with matters of terrorism and other problems at home.

“Instead of focusing on economic issues, due to which people were forced to commit suicide, these religious parties have been trying to mislead the people in the name of jihad,” he said.

He said that such elements should learn lessons from non-Muslims who were not only protesting against the war but were also striving for protecting the Iraqi people from the ravages of war.

It appeared that Mr Hussain launched a frontal attack on the MMA to evade taking sides on the Iraq issue, which has generated widespread criticism of the American policies.