HYDERABAD, Aug 6: Condemning the Israeli air strike and bombing on Lebanon and ruthless attack on Palestine, Islami Tehrik secretary-general Shafi Mohammad Pitafi has called upon the government to take a firm stand on the issue.

Speaking at a press conference in Tando Allahyar on Sunday, IT leader also condemned incidents of terrorism within the country and murders of religious leaders.

Maulana Ghulam Baqi Chandio, Amanullah Shah and Nazeer Bachani were present on the occasion.

Mr Pitafi said that blaming Sunnis for the murder of Shia Ulema and vice versa was a conspiracy as religious parties were united under the banner of the MMA.

He said that leaders of the Islami Tehrik had been murdered but the government had failed to arrest the culprits.

He demanded that Gen Musharraf should either hold the office of president or of the chief of army staff.

He demanded that the next general elections should be held under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

He said that Muslims of the world were ready to take part in Jihad against Israel and America which had unleashed atrocities against Muslims in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Afghanistan.

He called upon the government to make foolproof security arrangements at mosques and religious schools.

PROTEST: A large number of children under the banner of Islami Jamiat-i-Tuleba held a demonstration outside the Hyderabad press club on Sunday in protest against the Israeli aggression against the people of Lebanon.

They raised slogans against America and Israel.

Jamiat-i-Tuleba Hyderabad nazim Hassan Bakhtiar said that Israeli bombardment on children was a slap on the face of the Muslim rulers.

He said that insensitive Muslim rulers were privy to brutalities against Muslims because they were maintaining a discreet silence. He called upon the Muslim youth to take up the leadership of Muslim Ummah against Israel and America.

BARQAB TRUST: The Barqab Welfare Trust on Saturday distributed cheques to retired Wapda employees and their widows here at the Hesco colony.

Hesco chief executive Maqbool Ahmed Khwaja was the chief guest on the occasion. Cheques of Rs20,000 each were distributed among ten retired employees and widows.

Mr Khwaja praised the Baqab Welfare Trust for providing financial assistance to underpaid retired Wapda employees and their widows.

On behalf of the trust, Usman Palijo and Shoaib Siddiqui said that the trust had so far distributed cheques of Rs900,000 among retired employees and widows of different companies.