Musharraf not constitutional President, says Qazi
By Raheel Junejo - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

KARACHI: The religio-political alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has asked President General Pervez Musharraf to step down, what it call "as he is an unconstitutional president since December-31, 2004."

The six-party alliance has appealed to the masses to “come out of their homes” for the restoration of democracy and constitution in the country.

“We neither recognise General Musharraf as the president nor the army chief since December-31 as he has backtracked from his promise with the nation”, MMA President, Qazi Hussain Ahmed said appealing to the people to observe a countrywide strike against unemployment, price-hike and increase in petroleum prices on April-2.

He was addressing the participants of a “million march” at Tibet Center here on Sunday. Opposition Leader in National Assembly, and the MMA’s Secretary General Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, MMA’ Vice Presidents, Allama Sajid Naqvi, Allama Sajid Mir, Qari Gul Rehman, Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair, Hafiz Taqi, and others also addressed the million march.

The attendance of the march was termed as impressive as tens of thousands of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) supporters packed the area between Mazar-e-Quaid and Tibet Center on either sides of MA Jinnah Road. Thousands of veiled women along with their children also attended the march.

Besides MMA supporters, a good number of PTI, PML (N), Islami Jamiat Talaba, and Ahl-e-Hadit Youth Force participated in the million march.

Chanting slogans such as “Allah-o-Akbar”, “ No To America-Yes to Islam”, “long live Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan”, “Go Musharraf Go”, and so on, the participants were carrying different banners placards inscribed with anti-US and anti-Musharraf slogans.

Speaking on the occasion, Qazi Hussain Ahmed opined that General Musharraf’s slogan “Pakistan first” was against the ideology of Pakistan, and it was created by him (Musharraf) to justify the role of Pakistani government in US occupation of Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Aga Khan Education Board

Lambasting the creation of Aga Khan Education Board, Qazi appealed to the Aga Khanis to concentrate on their traditional business activities, and not to interfere in the country’s education system, otherwise, he warned, they would loose their businesses.

“I ask the followers of Aga Khan that you are a business community, therefore concentrate on your traditional businesses and stay away from our education system. Otherwise neither you (Aga Khanis) will run the education system nor your businesses”, he maintained.

Of Privitization

He observed that the state-owned units were being sold out at cheaper prices which was tantamount to give the keys of country’s economy into hands of multi-national companies. He claimed that Habib Bank had been sold out to Aga Khan Foundation at the cost of Rs 120 billion as against the market price of Rs 500 billion. He appealed to the masses to vote for MMA candidates in the forthcoming local bodies polls.

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman

Addressing the million march, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman observed that law and order had deteriorated all over the country, especially in Sindh and Balochistan. He demanded an early withdrawal of troops from Balochistan.

Declaring opposition to the proposed amendments in blasphemy law, Hudood Ordinance, and other Islamic articles of the constitution, Fazl warned if the government did not desist from its policies, it would have to face a strong resistance by the masses.

He also opposed the concept of enlightened moderation. “If moderation and liberalism are linked with obscenity, then we outrightly reject this formula”, he added.●