13 February 2004	Friday	21 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: The chairperson of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, has said the ARD as a political alliance for the restoration of constitution and against the policies of Gen Pervez Musharraf , is united and will remain united.

In a statement issued here by the PPP media cell, Mr Fahim said the ARD had decided to hold protest meetings and set up protest camps throughout the country against illegal actions, political victimization, failed economic policies, deteriorating law and order and threat to the country's assets and integrity under the military regime due to its ill-conceived policies.

The protest meetings will be held from February 13 to 20 throughout the country, he said, adding that the decision to hold protest demonstrations was the collective decision of the parties in the ARD and will be successfully and enthusiastically implemented.

"It is not the decision of any single party. There is no question of any party in the Alliance going solo as far as the protest demonstrations and observance of protest week is concerned." He said protest camps would be set up in all the districts of the country, Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas by the ARD.

"The Pakistan People's Party as component party of the ARD has already directed its district organizations to assist in the setting up of protest camps as decided in the alliance meeting."

He said the members of central executive committee, federal council, provincial executives, parliamentarians and divisional organizations of the party had also been directed to make the ARD protest call a resounding success.

Senior ARD leaders will sit in the protest camps. Workers of all the parties have been directed to attend these camps along with supporters of democracy and rule of law to register their condemnation of the policies of the present regime.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary leader in the Senate and Secretary-General of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Mian Raza Rabbani on Thursday said the PML-Q government stood exposed in its respect for the judiciary and the rule of law.

In a statement, Mr Rabbani said the manner in which the government had shut out the courts in the scientists case was a matter of deep concern for the citizens of Pakistan.