The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) will launch the second phase of Tahafuz-e-Pakistan Caravan from southern Punjab on July 1, which will cover the area from Sahiwal to Dera Ghazi Khan and Layyah, Kasur to Vehari and Bahawalnagar to Bahawalpur.
This was decided at a meeting of MMA held here on Monday, with Punjab MMA president Liaquat Baloch in the chair. The meeting also decided to organise activities in June to make the July events a success. Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Fazlur Rehman and other leaders will lead the caravan.
The meeting criticised the corps commanders' meeting, which had expressed confidence in the leadership of President Pervez Musharraf' and endorsed his reforms and policies. The meeting also rejected Pemra's working under Information Ministry. The meeting also decided to hold a meeting of MMA Northern Areas office-bearers in Rawalpindi on June 10, and a public meeting at Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh on June 17.
Liaquat said the caravan would leave Sahiwal on July 1 for Multan and stop in Khanewal for lunch. The leaders will address the public at different points on their way to Multan. The caravan will be welcomed at Chowk Khumharanwala, he said. MMA leaders would stay at night in Multan on July 1 and leave the city on July 2 for Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Kot Addu and stay at Layyah for a night. He said that army is a national institution and hatred against it had been increasing day by day due to its involvement in politics.
"If the army takes part in politics, then it should prepare itself for the criticism. The corps commanders' meeting has really disappointed the people," he said, adding that there was only one way to stop the growing hatred against the army tat the institution must avoid politics.
He paid tributes to the electronic media for playing a vital role in displaying a true picture to the people. He said MMA meeting had strongly condemned threats to journalists in Karachi. He asked the journalists' bodies to join the opposition's movement. The MMA also supported the teachers' strike and demanded the government fulfil their demands.