Sunday, December 18

Govt diverting attention, Maulana Fazal

Leader of the opposition and Chief Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman said the government was intending to divert people’s attention from more important national matters by initiating the issue of contentious dams, while talking to mediamen after the meeting of the JUI-F Punjab executive committee held here on Monday.
Fazal-ur-Rehman, who is also the Secretary-General of the Muttahida Majlas-e-Amal (MMA), maintained that the opposition would not participate in the parliamentary committee on quake-relief operations because the government had failed to alleviate opposition’s reservations, despite the fact that these were promptly conveyed.
While talking about the future strategy, the Maulana said a grand alliance of the opposition parties would emerge very soon as they were already in contact. “The opposition is united on the issue that dictatorship will not be tolerated any more and in any form. Preparations are underway to launch a movement against the government before the general elections of 2007,” he added.
To a question, Fazal said the decision about further participation of Chief Minister NWFP Akram Durrani in the meeting of the National Security Council would be taken after looking at its agenda.
Fazal stated the concerns of the opposition against the arrival of the NATO forces in quake-hit areas were justified because these forces always had vested interests and it was evident from the fact that similar catastrophes occurred in many parts of the world, but the forces did not go there for relief.
To a question, the Maulana said, the registration of Madaris was not acceptable because it was being done against the principles agreed upon by the government with the association of Madaris. “The government should first get the registration Act passed from the National Assembly according to its agreement with the Madaris association, then the Madaris will offer themselves for registration,” he added.
December 12, 2005

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