MMA component parties to contest local bodies polls jointly

Central leader of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and Secretary General of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Pakistan, Syed Munawar Hasan, has announced that all the component parties of the MMA will contest the next local bodies elections from the platform of the alliance. He also said that internal elections of the MMA on provincial and district level would be held soon. Addressing party workers at Arqum Islamic Centre, Gulistan-e-Jauhar on Sunday night, he said new elected provincial leadership of the MMA would take decisions and prepare strategy for the next local bodies elections.
Syed Munawwar Hassan said poverty had increased to 42 percent from 27 percent during the rule of government headed by an economist.
He said: "Our budget is prepared in the presence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials and according to their will. Our budget, foreign policy and syllabus of education are prepared on the dictation of the United States", he added.
Criticising privatisation process, the MMA leader said Karachi Electric Supply Corporation's shares were sold at cheap rates. The Saudi investors were only acting as front men and nobody knows who was behind them," he added.
He feared the nation, especially the Karachiites, would face more problems after the privatisation of the KESC. Tariff would be increased and the industry of Karachi and the province would be destroyed," he said.
He said that more than 18,000 employees of the KESC were feeling uncertain about their future, which seemed to be darkened after the privatisation of this public interest national asset.
He said every department was for sale in the present regime and many other public sector organisations would be sold out soon.
The Jama'at leader said Pakistan's foreign policy, especially on Iran and Afghanistan, was prepared on the dictation of the US.
He criticised the role of media, and said that the English press was trying to strengthen Pervez Musharraf to promote secularism in Pakistan.
He said the people of Pakistan were religious and they would not allow any one to promote anti-Islamic thinking in the country.