The restoration of the religion column in machine-readable passports is a major defeat for rulers in the face of public pressure, said Gen (r) KM Azhar, the secretary general of Jamiat Ulema Pakistan-Noorani (JUP-N). "Soon, the anti-government movement by religious parties will compel Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down from power.""We (the religious parties) will not sit idol [sic] till Gen Musharraf is ousted from the corridors of power. We gave Gen Musharraf a respectable way out but he violated his promises by not doffing his uniform by December 31, 2004," Azhar told Daily Times on Friday. "Gen Musharraf is working for American interests. This is unacceptable to religious and patriotic Pakistanis," he said, adding that the situation in Balochistan had been created as a result of protecting American interests in Gwadar. Azhar said that the main objective of religious parties was to depose Gen Musharraf and restore the Constitution. "The restoration of the religion column was a minor demand," he added.