'Pakistan may hand over AQ Khan to US'

The claim was made by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed at a "million man march" organised by the group in Karachi Sunday, according to a report in Daily Times.

The MMA, an alliance of six Islamist parties, also called President Pervez Musharraf a security threat to Pakistan.

Ahmed said Musharraf had compromised Pakistan's nuclear programme, which acted as a deterrent against foreign aggression, and had made the country's defence insecure. He also accused the president of "misguiding the nation under the pretext of enlightened moderation".

He criticised Musharraf for supporting the US-led attack on and "occupation" of Afghanistan and accused him of failure to promote Islamic values and include the religion column in passports and allowing the Aga Khan Board, an NGO, to take over the country's education system.

He also criticised the government's flawed economic policies, saying they had forced the underprivileged segment of society to the brink of economic disaster.