Date:22/03/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/03/22/stories/2003032212941200.htm

International

MMA's anti-war protest call evokes `modest' response

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD MARCH 21 . A strike call by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six religious parties in Pakistan, to protest the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq has evoked a "modest" response.

The organisers, however, claim it to be a success considering the "short notice" at which they had decided to hold it. It is difficult to measure the success of a strike in Pakistan, particularly on Friday, when it is half-a-day and people congregate in mosques for prayers.

There is little doubt that there is near unanimous opposition in Pakistan to the U.S. action, but it is altogether a different proposition as to how many would like to rally under the banner of the religious parties. The emphatic statement made by the Pakistan Government deploring the U.S.-initiated war has gone down well with the people. The MMA has termed the war as "uncalled for" and "unjustifiable" and condemned the Government's move to prorogue the National Assembly before it could complete its debate and adopt a unanimous resolution against the U.S-led war on Iraq. The Alliance has described it as a blow to democracy and supremacy of parliament.

Reports from various parts of country suggested that anti-war processions were taken out in several parts of the NWFP and adjacent tribal areas to denounce the attack on Iraq. Students, political party workers, journalists and people at large held protest rallies in Peshawar to show their anger against the war.