LAHORE, Dec 2: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam amir Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday reacting to reports of possible action against seminaries said that it was part of the US agenda. He said that the independence of the seminaries would be protected at all costs.

In a statement issued in his behalf here, he said the government was covering up its embarrassment on its policy towards Afghanistan by issuing statements against religious parties. He said these were the same ulema who had fought against the former USSR and now cases were being registered against them.

He said he had time and again offered cooperation to the government in closing down the seminaries if it was proved that they were promoting the kalashnikov culture or imparting training to terrorists. Any action against the seminaries without any proof would be resisted, he said.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said America wanted to permanently establish its bases in Pakistan which the religious parties had repeatedly pointed out in the past. He alleged that Pakistan’s nuclear installations were under American control.