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MMA vows to bring Islamic revolution

The Nation, 29/8/2002
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/today/main/top1.htm

LAHORE - The first phase of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's train march which began from Rawalpindi at midday on Wednesday on the onset of their election campaign successfully concluded at the Lahore Railway Station in the evening. The train arrived around 7.40 pm with all leaders of MMA and dozens of workers on the board. They included Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Maulana Samiul Haq, Allama Sajid Naqvi, Liaquat Baloch, Hafiz Mohammad Idrees, Qari Zawar Bahadar and others.

The MMA has suspended the train march and asid that date for the second leg of its campaign will be announced later. Earlier, before boarding the train, the MMA central leaders addressing the gathering at the Rawalpindi railway station said that they will bring an Islamic revolution in the country and now the caravan of MMA has started and they with the support of general masses will change the destiny of the country.

The train halted at Lalamusa, Jhelum, Gujrat and Wazirabad where the workers also assembled despite all restrictions by the Railways and the police. At Wazirabad, police cordoned off the station but the workers reached the platform and welcomed the MMA leaders. On this occasion, they also chanted slogans against the government. The MMA leaders alighted from the train at Lahore Railway Station amidst loud slogans chanted by the workers who assembled at the platform in large numbers. The ARD Chief Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan also greeted the MMA leaders at the Lahore Railway Station. However, Prof. Sajid Mir was not among the MMA caravan. The leaders boarded a truck at the main entrance of the station from where they addressed the crowd. Heavy police contingent also guarded the railway station areas.

Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani said the enthusiasm and spirit of the people during the train march at various stations, showed they believe MMA is capable of solving their problems. He said that the US troops, provision of logistic support to coalition forces is a conspiracy. He said our strategic installations are under threat. He said that the solution to our problems lies in the enforcement of Nizam-i-Mustafa and the MMA is striving for the enforcement of this programme. Shah Ahmad Noorani also warned the government to hold fair and transparent elections and refrain from rigging the polls which may harm the country.

Later talking to newsmen, he said that train march is the right of MMA representing the people. He said that MMA will hold a meeting after the train march to evolve future course of action.
He said our freedom and sovereignty are at stake and our nuclear installations are also facing threats while the government is working on an agenda to make the country secular. Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that there can be no justice without the induction of an Islamic government. He said the religious leadership has united at a platform to guide the nation. He said the success of train march proved that alternate leadership is available in the country.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that MMA has initiated its election campaign. The success in the first phase is testimony to success in October elections, he added. He condemned the government for making the large-scale arrests of religious persons. He urged the people to unite for freedom.
Maulana Samiul Haq said that the enemies of Islam have united on a platform against Muslims. He said the people should also unite for the protection of their Islamic identity. He, however, said that people are with MMA who will give a big support in October elections. Allama Sajid Naqvi said that the freedom of the country is being sabotaged and people's rights are being ruined. He said MMA has entered to the field to safeguard the integrity of the country.

Liaquat Baloch said the government used all tactics to foil the train march but it is bound to succeed. He said the people will also frustrate the designs of the government on October 10 and lead the MMA to success. Report from Rawalpindi adds: Earlier, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has formally launched election campaign with the train march started from Rawalpindi Railway Station on Wednesday afternoon with all major leaders of the alliance parties leading the caravan and boarding the Awam Express along with their supporters.

Heavy police force was deployed in and around the railway station and barriers were placed on all the roads approaching the railway station due to which the general passengers suffered a lot.
When the central leaders of MMA arrived to board the Awam Express, they were first stopped by the police but later allowed them when the leaders of MMA informed the police force that they secured permission from government for holding the train march.Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that they are passengers and are planning to travel up to Lahore by train.

When they were stopped by the police, officials the emotionally-charged supporters and activists of various component parties of MMA engaged into hectic slogan chanting and demanded permission from their leadership to enter the railway station. Later, a large number of MMA activists along with their leaders entered the railway station and railway authorities placed the 14-Down Awam Express coming from Peshawar to Platform No. 5 instead of 3 and the leaders and activists of MMA moved to that platform.

The train arrived at right time at 12.40 pm and left the Rawalpindi Railway Station at right time at 1.00pm. The MMA leaders boarded the train coach No. 17 and they left the station amid full-throated slogans in support of their leadership. Before boarding the train, the MMA central leaders addressing around 150 persons who had managed to enter the railway station, said that they will bring an Islamic revolution in the country and now the caravan of MMA has started and they with the support of general masses will change the destiny of the country.

The central leaders said that they will give the people of Pakistan the system based on Islamic principles through which their problems will be solved at their doorsteps. The leaders further said that the presence of people who came here after breaking all the barriers and participated in the political process is the ample proof the that people want change. They asked the people to join them in their struggle against the forces of oppression and help them establish Islamic rule of law so that the poverty, price-hike and growing unemployment in the country can be contained.
They said that for the first time in the history the religious forces in the country have gathered on one platform adding the MMA will be the last hope to unite the people of the country under its umbrella and can steer the country out of prevailing crises.

They also demanded of the government to immediately lift the ban on the political activities so that the patriotic forces can give their message to the people. They said that the leadership of religious parties had united on the demand of general masses and now it was the duty of people to strengthen their hands and urged them to rose above the sectarian and other affiliations to elect the MMA candidates.