From DILSHAD AZEEM

ISLAMABAD - The Mutahidda Majlise Amal (MMA) and other religious parties Wednesday kicked off a campaign for inclusion of religion field in machine-readable passports and announced to organise next gathering in front of the Parliament House.

About 10-15 thousand people participated in the rally and the religious parties issued a ten-point joint declaration wherein they held President General Pervez Musharraf solely responsible for, what they said was, facilitating the Ahmedis by omitting religion field from passports.

After MMA’s failure to bring out the people on streets on President’s uniform issue, it was the first public gathering that showed the religious people’s interest in the passport issue.

After MMA’s failure to bring out the people on streets on President’s uniform issue, it was the first public gathering that showed the religious people’s interest in the passport issue.

Majlis President Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri led the rally taken out from Jamia Mosque Darul Islam, G-6 that reached at Aabpara Chowk after passing through Melody road.

The MMA president while addressing the rally announced that the religious parties along with other political parties would finalise date today (Thursday) for general strike call throughout the county to protest against increase in petroleum prices and the government’s cold attitude towards including the religion field despite Chaudhry Shujat’s promise.

“General Musharraf is the root-cause of all problems including omission of religion column from passports and thus facilitating the Qadyanis,” Qazi Hussain Ahmed alleged while addressing the gathering.

The religious parties demanded immediate resignation of Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq from the ministry and Chaudhry Shujat Hussain’s from the PML presidency because of their failure to include the religion field.

The demonstrators burnt effigies of President General Pervez Musharraf and President Bush. According to police sources, nearly 5000 law enforcers were deployed to escort the procession and protect sensitive places.

The rally participants, who were carrying placards and banners, also demanded that the Qadiyanis be removed from the high offices in the government departments and said that no amendment in Hudood laws would be accepted.

The joint declaration read out by Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the present movement would be stepped up to a level where it would exceed the magnitude of the 1953, 1974 and 1984 movements. “Musharraf is protecting the Qadiyanis, Qazi alleged.”

National Assembly Opposition Leader MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rehman also addressed the rally by telephone from DI Khan as he was ill.

Qazi Hussian Ahmed in his address said the country needed Islamic revolution to stop moves like omission of religion field. “We will not accept bringing of educational institutions under Agha Khan Board,” he said.

He also spoke on the issue of uniform and claimed that General Pervez Musharraf was an illegal and unconstitutional president and military chief after he refused to fulfil the promise of relinquishing one of his offices by December 31, 2004. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Liaquat Baloch, Hamidul Haq Haqqani and other religious leaders addressed the rally.