SUKKUR, July 3: President Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (Sindh) and MNA Asadullah Bhutto has accused President Gen Pervez Musharraf of “bartering away the country’s sovereignty at Camp David, only for perpetuating his rule on the country”.

He said this during a press conference at the Jamaat-i-Islami office, Sukkur, on Thursday.

He said the dignity of Pakistan had been tarnished by the president in his US visit.

He warned that the people of Pakistan would be the biggest obstacle in his way “to achieve US designs”.

Mr Asadullah said that $3 billion would be paid to Pakistan during the next five years on condition that it played to US tunes, which included strengthening American occupation of Iraq and recognizing Israel.

He said the Pakistan Army was not a mercenary force and it could not be sent to Iraq for assisting American occupation.

He said the general had tried to appease the people of Punjab by highlighting the construction of the Thal canal and the Kalabagh Dam during his visit to the US, so that he could gain their support.

He said that, however, he would fail to pacify the people of Punjab because they knew that the Thal canal was built only for rehabilitating the lands of army generals.

Mr Asadullah claimed that the general was using the Thal canal issue for triggering a war between the people of Punjab and Sindh.

He said recognizing Israel would be committing suicide because it would pave the way for recognizing India’s occupation of Kashmir.

He warned that the MMA would launch a protest movement against the government’s intention to recognize Israel, and added that, similarly, the MMA would continue its protest against sending Pakistani troops to Iraq.

He said sarcastically that President Gen Musharraf was working for pro-US interests, and if he had so much love for the US, he should migrate there.

The MMA leader said that the MMA wanted to run the political process, but it was the government’s own people who were creating seeds of discontentment.

Referring to Information Minister Rasheed’s statement regarding the tribunal’s verdict against the MMA MNA, he said that similar verdicts were expected for other MNAs of the MMA from the Supreme Court, and added that this amounted to dictating the superior courts.

He said since the US wanted a solution of Kashmir similar to that of Palestine, where it had its “own agents like Yasser Arafat and Mehmood Abbas”, therefore, Gen Musharraf had been called to Camp David, where he tried to save his rule by being submissive to US intentions.

Mr Asadullah spoke strongly against the law and order situation of Sindh, where extortionists were engaged in extorting money from the people of Karachi “with the patronage of the governor of Sindh”.

He also held the Sindh chief minister responsible for this state of affairs in Karachi.

He said state institutions are being auctioned at throwaway prices for minting money, while the people are being rendered jobless.

He said the MMA would hold a protest on Friday against the unseating of the MMA MNA by a tribunal of the NWFP.

He demanded presenting the Camp David talks and other matters regarding President Gen Musharraf’s visit to the US, UK and France in parliament for general debate.