Religious parties form poll alliance

Leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-e- Amal (MMA), a newly-formed alliance of various religious parties, have declared that the country's religious parties could contest the forthcoming elections under the MMA platform.

Addressing a conference at the Karachi Press Club yesterday, these leaders said the country's religious parties are united under the MMA banner. It is a "historical step" taken for the first time in the country, they added.

The MMA chairman and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) chief, Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, criticised the government campaign against religious parties.

He emphasised the need for joint struggle by religious parties to counter secular elements in the country and termed them as agents of the U.S. and the UK.

Top Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Syed Munawwar Hasan said the religious parties would continue their struggle. He said the arrests of their fellow leaders could not deter them from raising voice for the truth. The government itself was disturbed after arresting these leaders, he added.