MMA’s march on Gujrat falls flat as dozens arrested
Bureau Report

LAHORE—Lahore Police on Thursday used baton charge to stop the participants of an anti-women protection bill rally and arrested twenty five activists including several stalwarts of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal over violation of section 144 imposed in the province.
As soon as the MMA rally led by Liaqat Baloch, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Farid Ahmed Paracha and Ahsan ullah Waqas reached Chauburji, the participants started raising anti-government slogans.
But when Liaqat Baloch started his speech, police not only started baton charge but also arrested twenty activists of MMA including Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Liaqat Baloch, Farid Ahmed Paracha, Ahsan ullah Waqas put them into a truck and took them to an undisclosed location. On the other hand MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed was not present in Mansoorah.
Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) rally against Women Protection Bill (WPB) Thursday reached Gujranwala under the leadership of Qazi Hussain Ahmad while police have arrested dozens of MMA leaders including Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, Liaquat Baloch, Qari Zawar Bahadur, Ameer Ul Azeem, Fared Ahmad Paracha and Anwar Gondal on the occasion.
According to details, MMA rally against the WPB started here in Choberji Chowk. MMA leaders Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, Liaquat Baloch, Mian Maqsood Ahmad and Abdul Ghaffar Aziz addressed to the rally while the heavy contingents of police battened charge thousands of MMA activists on the occasion and arrested dozens of MMA activists including Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, Liaquat Baloch, Qari Zawar Bahadur, Ameer Ul Azeem, Fared Ahmad Paracha and Anwar Gondal.
Meanwhile MMA changed its strategy and had already sent MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmad out of Lahore through secret ways. According to the last information received here, the MMA rally had reached Gujranwala on its way to Gujrat under the leadership of Qazi Hussain Ahmad.
MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmad alleged caravan launched by the religious grouping on Thursday was part of democratic process which was blocked through use of sheer force adding MMA would observe country wide protest day today. MMA president said this while addressing a press conference at his residence Thursday.
Our caravan was part of democratic process and it was peaceful, he underscored. “We have always gone for road side address. We have been meted out such treatment which is given to enemy. The democratic process was hampered through mean tactics.
He alleged that Mansoora was besieged like the enemy’s garrison. Paramilitary forces and armoured carriers were deployed there. The rulers who have allowed free hand to the dacoits and have failed to curb street crimes are bent upon blocking our peaceful movement, he blamed. The entire leadership of MMA including Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and Liaqat Baloch was kidnapped and lodged in police stations. The lawyers procession was stopped at Ravi chowk. We were accorded warm welcome in Gujranwala, he told. Government has failed to prevent the people from coming on the roads, he added. Gujarat was not our target. We wanted to kick of our movement from thickly populated areas, he said adding our target was Musharraf had grabbed powers illegally. Over one thousand workers of MMA are arrested. Police resorted to baton charging in Gujarat.
He informed Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, Abdul Rahim Naqshbandi and Abdul Jalil Naqvi addressed the caravan in Gujarat. He alleged that chief minister Punjab is trying to prove that he is a popular leader by holding public meeting in Rahim Yar Khan with the help of state machinery despite the fact that section 144 was imposed there.
We appeal to all opposition parties not to give any chance to Musharraf, he said. We will not allow Musharraf to hold elections and will force him to flee from the corridors of powers. To a question he said MMA has unanimously decided to resign and will evolve its strategy on December 6-7. Maulana Fazal ur Rehman is my brother and he will lead the movement, he underlined.
President Pakistan Muslim League Chudhary Shujaat Hussain Thursday said that there was nothing repugnant to the teachings of Islam in the Women’s Protection Bill and the leadership of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal was holding protest meeting just to achieve its political objectives.
In a telephonic interview to a private television channel, the PML chief said the bill was drafted carefully with the consultation of authentic scholars and it was floated at both the houses for open debate.
He said, nowhere in the process the MMA leadership has pointed out anything contrary to Quran and Sunnah in the bill and now they busy in deceiving the people in vain.
If they had any objection of suggestion with reference to the bill, they would have expressed them at the forums, he said and adding now when the bill has been approved there is no need to discuss it. Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain said that another bill with regard to women rights has been presented in the National Assembly by him and if the MMA leaders bring some solid suggestion for amendment it would be considered seriously.
He said the new bill will provide more protection to the women in society.—Agencies