September 4, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: The opposition in the National Assembly on Tuesday expressed concern over “character assassination” of its leadership by the treasury benches in the house by hurling allegations of corruption.

Speaking at a press conference at the assembly cafeteria, the opposition leaders, however, vowed not to give up their struggle against dictatorial actions till the Legal Framework Order was brought to parliament for scrutiny.

Earlier, the treasury side, spearheaded by People’s Party Patriots’ Sher Afgan Niazi, caused a furore in the opposition camp by renewing the allegation that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal parliamentary leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed had received Rs100 million from the Inter-Services Intelligence.

The opposition expressed its concern over the tirade, which , it said, had been planned by President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s men to break the will of its leadership, but vowed not to budge from its position on the LFO and parliament’s right to amend the Constitution.

Speaking at the news conference, the MMA parliamentary leader demanded that the National Accountability Bureau should investigate the allegations of corruption against political personalities.

He said the opposition’s protest was for the restoration of the Constitution and the supremacy of parliament, while the treasury members were demanding more perks for themselves.

He said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s government was powerless to take any policy decisions.

The country, he said, had come down to the 144th position from 124th in the ranking of human development index and the number of people living below the poverty line was growing at an alarmingly rate.

He alleged that some army officials had been detained at the behest of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and were being grilled in confinement under its supervision.

Mr Ahmed said the opposition would take part in the house proceedings only when the government brought a constitutional package for parliament’s assent by a two-thirds majority.

He said the opposition wished to work for improving the lot of the people and to solve their gravest problems of poverty and unemployment but the government was blocking those efforts by raising the hurdle of the LFO.

He alleged that the NWFP was denied its due share in the net profits income from power generation and a sense of disparity and deprivation was seeping into the province.

Alliance for Restoration of Democracy’s parliamentary leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi alleged that corrupt people had been elevated to the positions of ministers while unsubstantiated charges of corruption were being levelled against the opposition.

He said it was a matter of concern that decisions taken at the corps commanders’ meeting were being discussed by the Indian cabinet, “this poses a serious threat to the national security.”

He said Gen Musharraf was spending millions of rupees on his personal security but the masses felt highly insecure under his rule.

He said the government was not serious in talks over the LFO so the negotiations had remained inconclusive in 11 months.

He said the treasury members had started maligning the opposition leaders “but we will not allow the blackmailing tactics of the government to deter us from our mission.”

He dared Gen Musharraf, who is going to the United Nations to address the General Assembly, to speak at a joint session of parliament in his own country. Liaqat Baloch and Raja Pervez Ashraf also spoke.