MQM WOULD HOLD ANOTHER LARGEST RALLY AGAINST RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM IN PUNJAB,
DATE AND VENUE WOULD BE ANNOUNCED SOON
PEOPLE OF PUNJAB TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE RALLY --- ALTAF HUSSAIN

London-17 April 2007

Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) would hold the another big rally against “Kalashnikov and Baton Wielding Shariah and Religious Extremism” in the province of Punjab, date and venue would be announced soon. Mr Altaf Hussain, founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has appealed to the people of Punjab to prepare themselves to participate in this gathering in large number to protest against enforcement of the “Kalashnikov and Stave Wielding Shariah and Religious Extremism”. The decision to hold the rally in Punjab was decided in a meeting of the Central Co-ordination Committee (Rabita Committee) on Tuesday that was ratified by Mr Altaf Hussain. The peaceful historical Rally in Karachi on Sunday, 15^th. April 2007 was lauded as the manifestation of the total approval of people in the meeting. It was further decided that date and venue would be decided after the consultation with the office bearers, workers and supporters of the MQM in Punjab.

Mr Altaf Hussain has appealed to the awakened people of Punjab including mothers, sisters, elders and particularly the youth and students to prepare themselves to participate in a grand rally in Punjab against enforcement of the “Kalashnikov and Baton Wielding Shariah”.  He added that the proposed rally would be a grand demonstration of protest and manifestation of rejection of “Kalashnikov and Baton Wielding” Shariah and the people of Punjab should begin preparation for this grand Rally by raising above their religious beliefs and political affiliation.        

Mr Altaf Hussain said that minuscule elements of “Kalashnikov and Baton Wielding” religious extremists are not only portraying a distorted and negative image of Islam but also sending signals all over the world that the people of Pakistan are extremists and obscurantist. He further added that a few “Kalashnikov and Baton Wielding” extremists cannot oppress and hold hostage 15 million people of Pakistan on the yoke of their batons and Kalashnikovs and also cannot thrust their ideology upon them. Mr. Altaf Hussain said that a few “Kalashnikov and Baton Wielding” extremists do not represent the views of the entire Muslims and Pakistanis and the 99 per cent of the people of Pakistan are not extremists but moderate. He reiterated that tens of thousands of people have manifested by participating in the historical rally in Karachi on Sunday, 15^th. April 2007 that they are not religious extremists. He appealed to the awakened people of Pakistan to reach out to every nook and corner to explain to the people that these religious extremists are defaming Islam through their extremist activities. He further stressed that if the people of Punjab believe that the image of Islam is being distorted through religious extremism then they are duty bound to attend the peaceful rally in Punjab to portray the real image of the true Islam to prove to the people of the world that Pakistanis are moderate and awakened Muslims. Concluding his statement, Mr Hussain appealed to the minorities of Pakistan also to start preparation to attend the rally against Religious Extremism as equal citizens of Pakistan.