March 31, 2003	Monday	Muharram 27, 1424

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SUKKUR, March 30: Military dictators and the judiciary should be held accountable under Article 6 of the Constitution to restore true democracy in the country, People’s Party Parliamentarians’ MNA Khursheed Ahmed Shah said on Sunday.

Speaking at a news conference here at the Sukkur Press Club, Mr Shah said that the military rulers and the judiciary acted hand in glove.

Criticizing the Legal Framework Order and the army’s role in the government affairs, he said that the majority of parliamentarians had expressed their disapproval regarding both the issues, adding that the army was solely responsible to safeguard the country’s borders.

He also criticized what he described as those strange decision of the judiciary which, according to him, had greatly harmed the country and had provided an opportunity to individual to amend the Constitution.

He rejected the LFO, saying without being ratified by the parliament, it could never become a part of the Constitution.

Describing the extension granted to judges under the LFO as a bribe, Mr Shah said that the judiciary should have not accepted it.

He praised the role of the lawyers’ community and other educated people of the country for fighting against the government’s decision.

On a question about the October elections, he said that the election had been held under the Election Order 2002 and not under the LFO, adding that the impression that the entire parliament would amount to a naught if the LFO went away was a misconception.

Referring to the Iraq issue, he said that the joint opposition in the Parliament and some members of the treasury benches had agreed to move a resolution against the US-led attack on Iraq.

However, he said, the session of the Parliament had been abruptly adjourned, which had shown that the government was not ready to form a firm policy on Iraq issue.

The PPP leader demanded of the UN to make efforts for a cease-fire in Iraq, deploy its peacekeeping force there and remove the US forces from the entire Middle East, including Iraq.

On a question he said that Benazir Bhutto had given green signal to the PPP leadership in Pakistan to take out rallies against the attack on Iraq, adding that the party would soon organize large rallies in this regard.