MMA chief’s India visit aimed at enlisting support for Pak’s pro-democracy movement

Sources in the government say in the given context it is quite natural for the Pakistan leaders to search for support for democracy from various quarters, prominently from India, though none of these visits can be termed as official.

Though Rahman, the general secretary of the six-party alliance of Islamist groups called the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), has differences with parties headed by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, he has no problems in joining hands with them on the ‘‘larger issue of bringing back democracy to Pakistan’’.

Rahman, a pro-Taliban, anti-US leader with considerable resources and influence, also believes his alliance is ‘‘better equipped to expose President Musharraf’’.

The radical leader is expected to meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Leader of Opposition L K Advani and former prime minister A B Vajpayee during his visit.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, Rahman today said people engaged in reconstruction and developmental works in war-torn Afghanistan should not be harmed.

However, he also heaped praise on the Taliban, saying it had set an ‘‘example of good governance’’ during its six-year rule. He said the militia was ‘‘wrongly perceived as those who love bloodshed’’.

‘‘People engaged in reconstruction and development works in Afghanistan should not be touched,’’ he said, when asked about his views on the Taliban warning all Indians to leave Afghanistan following the capture and murder of Indian engineer K Surayanarayan.

Asked about Taliban’s claims that Suryanarayan was killed at the behest of Pakistan, Rehman said it was not clear whether the Afghan militia was responsible for it.