May 9, 2003	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 8: A four-member delegation of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) briefed ambassadors of European Union (EU) countries on the controversial Legal Framework Order (LFO) and current political situation in the country here on Thursday.

The delegation told the EU ambassadors that the LFO had put the sovereignty of parliament at stake and it was detrimental to democratic process in the country.

Led by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, other members of the delegation were: People’s Party Parliamentarians’ Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Acting President of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Member of PPP Coordination Committee Munir Ahmed Khan.

The meeting lasted over an hour and took place at the residence of Greek Ambassador Evangelos Carokis. It was attended by ambassadors of some 17 countries.

The deputy information secretary of the ARD, Munir Ahmed Khan, told Dawn that they had informed the ambassadors of the EU countries about the status of ongoing talks between the government and opposition on the LFO.

The EU ambassadors were told that the government was wrongly projecting that a consensus was about to emerge between the opposition and the government on the issue. Talks were at an initial stage and the core issues were yet to be taken up, he said.

The ARD members told the EU envoys that they did not recognize Gen Pervez Musharraf as president as he had taken the office through the PCO after removing an elected president which was an extra-constitutional step.

They further said that the opposition parties also did not accept the presidential referendum results. The envoys were also told that a grade-22 employee could not become the head of state of the country, Mr Munir said.

He said the delegation also highlighted the “rigging” in the October elections and the EU envoys were told “how the agencies and state machinery was used before, during and after the elections.”