KARACHI: PPP slams President for violation of Constitution
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, April 16: The Pakistan Peoples Party on Tuesday deplored the regime’s bid to disfigure the 1973 Constitution to satisfy its dictatorial aspirations.
This was stated by its central leaders Syed Qaim ALi Shah and Nisar Khuhro at a news conference at Bilawal House. Other central leaders were also present.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that the party chairperson Benazir Bhutto would return to Pakistan as per the party strategy to work for the restoration of democratic dispensation in the country.
He deplored the criticism of politicians by General Pervez Musharraf, particularly of his own party, and said it was regrettable that such allegations were being levelled against the party which had strived for democracy and to making the armed forces strong.
Referring to the government’s interpretation of the constitutional provision for referendum and the arguments about the seventh amendment, Mr Shah said that it was wrong to say that the 7th amendment was introduced to facilitate Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s reelection as prime minister. He claimed that the amendment was introduced after Mr Bhutto had been elected as prime minister.
It was his contention that Article 48 of the Constitution was being wrongly cited and said that the modalities for the election of president had been spelt out in Articles 41 to 45. Article 48 was not for president’s election, he said.
He said that Gen Ayub Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq had held referendums under martial law. He alleged that Gen Musharraf was subverting the will of the people.
Mr Shah said that holding referendum without the voters list was a clear example of rigging. He said that by attempting to marginalize the mainstream parties, the claim of democratic dispensation would be a far cry and a farce.
The PPP also deplored the baton charge of journalists in Faisalabad and the rising prices and unemployment.
Earlier, Nisar Khuhro, president of the PPP Sindh, presented two politicians from the Badin area, Bashir and Anwar Halepoto, who announced their joining the PPP.
He said that their entry was symbolic of the peoples support for political parties despite the government’s unconstitutional methods to destroy political parties and institutions. He said the regime’s policies had exposed the government’s claim about transparency and the devolution plan.
The Sindh PPP council, which met under the chairmanship of Nisar Khuhro, also deplored the trampling of the constitution by the regime and deplored the exercise of referendum.
It resolved that the people of Sindh would frustrate the aims of the regime on April 30. The party asked its cadre to improve their coordination at all levels.
It also deplored the plunder of national wealth by using the police, the armed forces and the bureaucracy for political objectives. The meeting also deplored the denial of permission to the opposition parties to hold rallies, though pro-regime parties were being given a free hand. It appealed to the judiciary to take serious notice of the situation.
It urged the election commission to ask the government to state as to how much of national wealth was spent on giving support to pro-regime political parties.
It also deplored the oft repeated announcements by General Musharraf to build the greater Thal canal and termed them anti-Sindh.
