Islamabad: If Pakistan officially recognises Israel, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) will launch a nationwide stir to overthrow the government.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed, chief of Jammaat-e-Islami and Parliamentary party leader of the MMA in the National Assembly, issued this threat while talking to reporters after a meeting of his party at his residence in Islamabad, according to 'Dawn'.

"The MMA will organize agitation to oust the government if it takes any step towards recognition of Israel," he declared. The Jamaat chief rejected the roadmap for Middle East peace prepared by the United States, saying it had been designed to strengthen Tel Aviv's illegitimate rule over the Palestinian lands.

When reminded that several Arab countries had already accepted the roadmap, including the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Qazi said in most of the Arab countries, the rulers were not true representatives of their people. The Palestinian issue, he added, was not related to Arabs only; it was a problem of the whole Muslim "Ummah", the newspaper reported.

In Qazi's opinion, President Pervez Musharraf did not have backing of the people and so he could not take any important decision during his ongoing visit to the US and European nations. He demanded that Parliament should be taken into confidence before making any commitment at international level.

The Jamaat chief praised NWFP (North West Frontier Province) Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani for having a Shariat Bill passed in the Assembly. He said Musharraf was opposing the bill only to please his foreign masters.

ANI