KARACHI, April 9: Some 27 political, religious and nationalist parties of the country have gathered under the banners of political alliances, namely Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, Muttahida Majlis-i-Mahaz and Pakistan Oppressed Nationalist Movement. They have assembled on a one-point agenda — to counter the referendum announced by President General Pervez Musharraf.
The leadership of the three major alliances are in close contact to evolve a joint strategy against the referendum, it was learnt on Tuesday.
The situation is very critical for the present government, as unlike the two previous referendums held to prolong the tenures of General Ayub Khan and General Ziaul Haq in 1966 and 1984 respectively, this government will have to face stern opposition as none of the major political and religious parties are in favour.
Anti-referendum parties have come closer to each other by keeping aside their differences to form a strong resistance.
The PONM chairman, also the chief of Puktoonkhwa Milli Ittehad, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, has approached the top leadership of the ARD and PPP, sources said.
They said that Mr Achakzai has contacted Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, chairman of the ARD that comprises 15 national political and religious parties, and vice-chairman of the main opposition party of PPP, Makhdoom Amin Fahim. He assured them of full support and cooperation in the possible drive against referendum on behalf of his alliance.
Although sources were reluctant to divulge the deliberations of the conversation between Achakzai with the top ARD leadership, according to them, both the leaders have reached an agreement to launch a joint campaign against the same, aimed at prolonging the tenure of President Musharraf for another term.
It the meantime, the PPP has also contacted the main party leadership of MMA, a coalition of some six leading religious parties and Jamat-i-Islami, to work out a joint strategy and mobilize their elected Nazims against the move.
It is worth mentioning here that all the three alliances have already publicly declared the referendum as unconstitutional, but it would be the first time that the leadership of these alliances are seriously working to take a joint step against the move.
The component parties of ARD include PML-N, PML-Qayyum, PML-Qasim, PML-Junejo, PPP, Jamhori Watan Party, Islamic Solution Front, Muttahida Ulema Forum, Istaqlal Party, etc.
Jamat-i-Islami, JUI-F, JUI-S, JUP-N, Voice of Millat-i- Jafferia and Jamat Ahl-i-Hadith are the religious parties united under the banner of MMA.—PPI
