LAHORE, March 6: The Jamali government has failed to deliver on all fronts, says a white paper issued by the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy on 100 days of the PML-Q government.

“The style of governance does not demonstrate that there is an elected and independent government at the Centre,” says the document released by ARD deputy information secretary Munir Ahmad Khan at a press conference here on Thursday.

It said the legislation in the National Assembly remained non-existent whereas MPs were “politically bribed” to seek their backing.

Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali, after coming to power, had promised to lower prices of daily-use items, but couldn’t. “Instead, an average increase of 40 per cent has been observed in the prices of rice, flour, meat, medicines, milk, soap, pulses etc.” Petroleum prices were raised seven times during the 100 days, but no relief was extended to the salaried class.

It said the crime rate rose during this time as the country went virtually into the control of terrorists and dacoits. Murder, dacoity, rape and highway robbery cases increased considerably. Incidents of carjacking, money extortion and terrorism also shot up in Sindh after the nomination of Ishratul Ibad as governor and release of 213 “MQM terrorists”.

Claiming the crime graph went up by 200 per cent in the Punjab, it cited the murders of former law minister Chaudhry Farooq, the brother-in-law of Senator Raza Rabbani and a cousin of PPP leader Aslam Gill, and kidnap of a retired judge of the Lahore High Court, Rana Mohammed Arshad Khan.

The white paper said those wanted by the NAB were appointed against important ministries. It alleged that the prime minister himself faced a probe in 1987-88 in illegal allotment of commercial and residential plots. The Ehtesab Bureau had dubbed Jamali as a ‘casual accused’ in these cases. In another case, he was charged with defaulting on a Rs117.1 million loan he had obtained from the UBL, Karachi.

Federal minister Liaquat Jatoi was put on the ECL and an inquiry was held regarding land allotment, while NAB cases were still pending against Faisal Saleh Hayat and Aftab Sherpao.

NA Speaker Ameer Husain, PML-Q president Shujaat Husain and Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi were also facing land allotment and loan writeoff charges, the white paper said.

It regretted that the PML-Q, to form its government in Sindh, had struck a deal with the MQM as a result of which the latter’s ‘terrorists’ were released from jails. A person involved in nine heinous cases was made the governor of Sindh, while irregularities were committed in the election of deputy speaker of the provincial assembly. The government could not present its stance on the LFO. While retirement age for judges was extended by three years without seeking approval of parliament just to bribe the judges to block any court decision on the LFO.

It said Senate elections were held 134 days after the general elections. And to win the polls, legislators were kidnapped and offered bribes. Byelections held on Jan 15 were rigged, while most of the candidates preferred to boycott the polls in face of the intense government pressure.

The government also failed on foreign affairs as it could not seek any relief for Pakistanis in registration with the INS.

It also criticized Gen Pervez Musharraf’s foreign visits as chief executive of the country, saying he was not authorized to do so even under the LFO given by him.

It said the relations with India further deteriorated, and it hurled more allegations on Pakistan. Ties with Iran did not remain cordial as Iran struck a defence deal with India and Jamali cancelled his proposed tour to the country.

The white paper said the government had yet to adopt a firm stance on the Iraq issue according to the aspirations of the people of the country.

Political parties, general public and parliament were not taken into confidence on this issue, while there were rumours that the prime minister was not being allowed to visit China and the United States.

The government, it said, could not announce its future policies despite the passage of 100 days in power.