ISLAMABAD, March 9: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Wednesday held a protest demonstration against removal of the religion column from the Pakistani passport.

The demonstration, held under the aegis of the Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-i-Nabuwat, was addressed by MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Liaqat Baloch, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Maulana Allah Wasaya, Dr. Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair, Maulana Hamidul Haq, Qari Gul Rahman, Allama Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer and Allama Jalil Naqvi.

The protesters gathered outside Masjid Darul Islam from where they started marching towards the Aabpara Market Chowk. They chanted slogans against Musharraf's policy of "enlightened moderation".

MMA leaders announced holding a protest demonstration outside Parliament during the next stage of their protest. They also announced holding protest sit-ins outside all district passport offices in the country.

They denounced the government's decision of removing the religion column from the passport. They said that a sweeping movement would be launched to remove from power the removers of the religion column.

The protesters carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans such as "down with Musharraf," "amendment in blasphemy law not acceptable," "reintroduce religion column in passport," "down with American agents," and "we don't accept the Aga Khan Education Board".

The MMA chief said the faithful will not spare any sacrifice in the way of protecting Hudood laws, Islamic identity of the country and its defence. He said a country-wide strike call will be announced on March 10 after consulting traders and transporters.

He said that the rulers had shattered the ideological foundations of the country and the country could not survive in the presence of President Gen Musharraf as he was causing greatest damage to the country in army uniform.

Mr Ahmed said that after taking a U-turn on Afghanistan, then on Kashmir and finally on the educational curricula, he was now taking a U-turn on the country's Islamic identity.

He accused President Gen Musharraf of hoodwinking the entire nation by refusing to shed his army uniform after December 31, 2004 although he had reached an agreement with the MMA regarding it. He further accused him of being a breaker of promises who could neither remain COAS nor be accepted as the country's president.

He said the blasphemy law was amended to make the investigation process ineffective. Speaking on the telephone, MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rahman said the country was being pushed into political instability.

He alleged that the military leadership was working for the fulfilment of the US, West and Qadiani lobby's designs "as Jehad was being termed terrorism as part of the American agenda".