ISLAMABAD, 9 January 2003 — Pakistan’s Islamist alliance yesterday said it would call for a special parliamentary session to discuss possible military action against Iraq and alleged interference in Pakistan by the United States.
"We have decided to demand a special session of the National Assembly to discuss Iraq, the situation on Pakistan-Afghan borders and the FBI’s activities in the country," alliance’s chief Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani told reporters here after a meeting of leaders from the six component parties.
Noorani, who heads the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) which has around 60 seats in the 342-member National Assembly, said the session would review the policies of the current regime on contentious issues.
The MMA requires signatures from at least 80 members of the assembly to call the session and Noorani said they would formally make the demand after securing signatures from legislatures to meet the required strength.
The Islamists have revived their anti-US campaign after a bombing raid by US of a deserted school on a disputed stretch of the Pakistan-Afghan border. The bombing was prompted by a clash between US troops in eastern Afghanistan and a suspected Pakistani border scout last month.
The raid was followed by anti-US protests in NWFP. The Islamists have also held countrywide protests Friday to condemn operations against suspected Taleban and Al-Qaeda fugitives involving the FBI.
Turnout at the protests was low by Pakistani standards, ranging from 3,000 in NWFP to 400 in the capital Islamabad. Noorani said the current civilian regime should review its pro-US policies. Pakistan returned to civilian rule under Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali. (AFP)
