Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Chief and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Tuesday warned that the alliance will not accept President Pervez Musharraf as legitimate president, anymore if he backed out from his promise regarding relinquishing one of his offices by December 31. "The MMA believes that president in uniform is against the Constitution and the democracy and wants President Musharraf to continue as civil president instead of military dictator," Qazi told a crowded news conference at JI Karachi headquarters Idara-e-Noor-e-Haq.
Jamaat Secretary General Syed Munawar Hasan, MMA Sindh Vice President Allama Hasan Turabi, MNA Abdul Sattar Afghani, MPA Nasrullah Shajee and JI Karachi Amir Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui were present on the occasion.
Qazi said that the MMA Supreme Council meeting scheduled on Wednesday would review issues pertaining to holding public meeting in Karachi, adding that four public gatherings in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi would be helpful in creating awareness among the masses against autocratic rule.
About the issue of permission for holding public meeting at Nishtar Park Karachi, he said, "Though we have not received any written approval in this connection, however, federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao on record assured us that the government will not create any hurdle in this regard."
He, however, made it clear that if any hurdle was created by the government in holding public meeting in Karachi then "one thousand" public meetings and rallies would be organised in the city and the MMA would transform its campaign against uniform into struggle for restoration of freedom of expression and speech.
Criticising the government for its "criminal silence" over killing of Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, he said that the present ruling Junta was proud of being US ally. He also said that President Musharraf was creating differences among army and masses by destabilising the institutions of the country.
"People are showing their resentment in every nook and corner against prolong military rule," he said, and urged army to focus on safeguarding geographical borders of the country as enshrined in the Constitution.
Urging the PML to get disciplined and stop seeking guidance from a "military dictator", he said, genuine democracy would not be restored until and unless PML leaders attain self-confidence.
Although the MMA had finally decided to organise people against military rule, he assured that there would be no chaos and civil disobedience in the country during its campaign.
"The MMA Supreme Council will decide whether Maulana Fazlur Rahman and NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani would attend the forthcoming National Security Council meeting or not," he said.
He ruled out that differences were cropped up between the MMA leadership, saying, "The MMA is united as a solid wall. Vicious desires of opponents will not succeed."
To a question regarding Maulana Fazlur Rehman's meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and ruling PML leaders, he said, there was no restriction on talks by the MMA.
Expressing concern on deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi, he said that owing to threats and growing incidents of law and order, even social workers like Abdul Sattar Edhi were threatening to leave the country.
He criticised President Musharraf for backing out from Pakistan's principled stance on occupied Kashmir and said even India rejected Musharraf's proposed solution of Kashmir dispute. "People are against the policies of Musharraf," he said.