LAKKI MARWAT/BANNU, Dec 26: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the NWFP government of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had, during its tenure, foiled the plans of turning the country into a secular state and a colony of the United States.

Addressing a meeting here on Wednesday, he said the religious parties confronted the secular and pro-Musharraf candidates and the MMA would not leave the field open to them.

“The US-led war against terrorism is not for combating terrorism or for peace in the world, but its main objective is to occupy the resources of the Muslim world,” he said.

The JUI-F leader said that religious elements always resisted the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, but the rulers of Muslim countries remained silent spectators.

Criticising Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto, he said that the US had facilitated her return to the country under the National Reconciliation Ordinance in order to use her for accomplishment of its ‘mischievous’ mission.

The Maulana said that the MMA would give a tough time to such elements and would never allow them to implement the US agenda in Pakistan.

He urged the people to vote for the MMA candidates to protect the religious identity and integrity of the country.

Addressing a meeting in Bakkakhel, Maulana Fazl said that secret agencies had been involved in character assassination of religious leaders to stop their return to assemblies.

He said that the US and European lobbies became active against ulema after the MMA had come to power in the province. “But, we showed to the world that ulema possessed a political vision and proved that they are better rulers than the moderates during our five years in government,” he said.

The Maulana said the government had deliberately created the war-like situation in Waziristan, Swat and other parts of the NWFP in order to launch military operations, so that it could usurp the natural resources of these areas.