October 15, 2001	Monday	Rajab 27, 1422

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QUETTA, Oct 14: The Secretary-General of Jamiat Ulema Islam, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, has claimed that the law enforcement agencies killed six protesters on Sunday in Jacobabad and Shikarpur.

Speaking at a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Sunday, the JUI leader said the police also arrested 5,000 people who had gathered in Jacobabad and surrounding villages to protest against the handing over of Jacobabad airstrip to the US forces.

“There are 200 troops and 25 aircraft at the Jacobabad airbase,” the JUI leader claimed.

The JUI leader announced that a countrywide strike would be observed throughout the country on Monday to protest against the government’s decision to offer airbases to US forces.

“Protest demonstrations and rallies would be held all over the country to express resentment over the government decision. It would be a referendum against the government’s Afghan policy,” he said.

The JUI would organize a protest meeting in Quetta at Ayub Stadium on Monday afternoon, he said.

“This campaign will continue till the fall of this government,” Maulana Haidri said, while pointing out that top leadership of JUI is meeting on Tuesday in Quetta to chalk out future course of action that includes a siege of Pasni airport.

The Pakistan Bar Council was also observing a strike on Tuesday on the same issue, he said, and added that all sections of the society were joining hands to raise their voice against the US attacks.

The JUI leader was confident of receiving support from other political parties and religious groups.

Responding to a question, he said the JUI workers were never asked to kill American nationals.

On the occasion, the JUI leader also gave the names of three persons killed in police action in Jacobabad and Shikarpur.

They were Mukhtar, Manzoor and Abdul Ahad. Four persons were killed in Jacobabad and two in Shikarpur, he said.