KARACHI, Feb 14: The Pakistan People’s Party gave hints on Thursday of launching a countrywide protest campaign if their leader, Benazir Bhutto, was not allowed to contest in the October elections.

Although PPP leaders here at a press conference avoided to say anything clearly in this regard, they claimed that the people of Pakistan reserved the right to protest if their leader was stopped from participating in elections.

Sindh PPP chief Nisar Khuhro, along with other party leaders, said: “Benazir Bhutto is a reality and she can never be kept away from the political process.”

Asked to comment on reports that Nazims and councillors of the PPP had presented their resignations to the party leadership in connection with the campaign, he said it was positively a first step. “These people are also Pakistani citizens, and there is a strong reaction against this issue.”

“The government has no right to keep the people away from their true representatives. Any such decision against the will of the people will have serious repercussions in society,” he warned.

Quoting a statement of a senior government official that “the government is closely reviewing every page of the constitution,” he appealed to the international community to play their role in restoring democracy in Pakistan.

Irsa: Mr Khuhro criticized on Wednesday the reported participation of army officials in a meeting of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa).

Speaking here at a press conference, he termed it a serious violation of rules and regulations which did not allow the participation of civilians and army officials in Irsa meetings.

He was of the view that in the presence of armymen in the meeting representatives of smaller provinces remained under pressure and they could not defend their provinces.

He expressed surprise over the report that Irsa was seeking permission from Wapda officials to discharge extra water.

“This is a matter of grave concern that a higher authority gets permission from its subordinate body, which is yet another example of the weakness of this government,” he said.

He said since Irsa was a government institution, it should be held in respect.

He said farmers were the only owners of river water and criticized the reported stoppage of supply of water to farmers of Sindh.—PPI