LAHORE, March 22: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy decided here on Friday to celebrate the Pakistan Day on Saturday by holding a public meeting at Mochi Gate Gardens, notwithstanding the government’s resolve not to allow anybody to reach the venue, falling in a sensitive area, specially because of Muharram.
The coalition chief Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, at a meeting at the residence of PPP leader Malik Hakimeen Khan, shoved aside suggestions for the change of the venue both by the government and some alliance components as such a step would send wrong signals about the conglomerate’s strength and popularity.
The administration laid barbed wire at the boundary wall of Mochi Gate to prevent anyone from entering there. Police have also been deployed and water released in the compound to thwart the ARD’s plan.
“The current year is the year of elections. The government should not stop the ARD from holding its public meeting. It should review its attitude in view of the internal threats and external challenges facing the country”, argued the ARD leader at a news conference after the meeting.
PPP senior vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Faheem, ARD Secretary- General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, PML vice-president Tehmina Daultana, Istiqlal Party chief Manzoor Husain Gilani and leaders of other alliance constituents were also present.
The ARD’s determination to exercise its fundamental right of holding a public meeting and the government’s determination to stop them from doing so, may lead to a situation witnessed last year when clashes had taken place with most of the leaders either detained or expelled from Punjab.
The Nawabzada claimed that the ARD did not want a confrontation with the government and the rulers should also avoid the same.
He said by holding the Saturday meeting the ARD leaders would revive in people the spirit of the Pakistan Movement and prepare them to frustrate the aggressive designs of the enemy which was making all preparations to establish its military superiority over Pakistan.
The ARD also rejected the proposal of a referendum aimed at formalizing Gen Musharraf as president of the country.
Referendum, the Nawabzada said, could be held only on some important national issue on which opinion of the public was not very clear. He said there was no justification for the general to hold a referendum to saddle himself in the presidency as there was no provision in the constitution allowing a serving military official to aspire for the coveted office.
The ARD president said if at all Gen Musharraf harboured the desire to become the head of state, he should first resign as army chief and then wait for two years before offering himself as a candidate.
He also strongly opposed Gen Musharraf’s move to institutionalize the National Security Council, saying such an organization would make it impossible for a civilian prime minister to express his disagreement on any issue with three services chiefs and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee who would be the members of the council.
Replying to a question, the ARD president said all extra- constitutional steps taken or to be taken by the present government would be challenged before the relevant courts of law.
He told a questioner that Gen Musharraf would not get legitimacy even if he succeeded in holding the proposed referendum as the entire exercise was a nullity in the eyes of the constitution.
Asked how would the ARD be able to defeat the referendum plan, the Nawabzada said political parties always depended upon public support in the achievement of their goals.
About the possibility of talks with Gen Musharraf, he said political parties never closed their doors for parleys. But he hastened to add that the issue of referendum was not negotiable.
