Islamabad, July 04: Accusing President Pervez Musharraf of attempting to blackmail the opposition through judiciary to force them into submission, Pakistan's Islamist alliance Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA) today held country-wide demonstrations during the Friday prayers to condemn the disqualification of one of its members of Parliament. The protests were held after a MMA member of National Assembly from North West Frontier Province (NWFP) was disqualified by an election tribunal on the ground that his religious degree was not equivalent to a bachelor's degree as was mandated by the Musharraf government shortly before the October 10 general elections last year. The MMA was alarmed by the development as Pakistan's Supreme Court has shortlisted 35 MMA lawmakers for scrutiny of their degrees after their qualifications were challenged by their rivals. MMA has 69 members in the 342 member National Assembly.
The Islamist alliance, which has six parties in its ranks currently, combined with the rest of the opposition to demand the resignation of Pervez Musharraf as Chief of Army in order to accept his presidency and to reach a compromise on his constitutional amendments. The Parliament is paralysed for over six months over the issue.
While different senior leaders addressed MMA rallies during the prayers in mosques in different cities, MMA, secretary general, Fazlur Rehman, in his address at red mosque here accused Musharraf of misusing judiciary to blackmail the opposition. Bureau Report