November 16, 2003	Sunday	Ramazan 20, 1424

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SWABI, Nov 15: Leaders of various political parties here on Saturday demanded immediate release of ARD president Javed Hashmi.

They were speaking at a protest camp set up by the PML-N to press for the unconditional and early release of Mr Hashmi.

PML-N district president Iftikhar Ahmad Khan said that the government had resorted to certain tactics in a bid to take opposition parties under pressure. 

The government on the one hand claimed that democracy had been restored in the country, on the other it was not allowing politicians to work independently, he added.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA and district president Jamaat-i-Islami Muhammad Usman questioned how long the government would delay the Legal Framework Order (LFO) issue and deny parliament its true power.

A single person could not be allowed to make amendments to the Constitution to strengthen his grip on power, he said.

He opposed Mr Hashmi’s arrest and said that the government’s policy to drive the opposition to the wall would fail.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F leader Najeem Khan said that Mr Hashmi’s arrest made a mockery of the democratic set-up.

PPP district president Manfat Khan said that the president should give powers to parliament according to the 1973 Constitution.

Workers and leaders of other political parties and groups also attended the protest meeting.