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| 28 April 2004 | Wednesday | 07 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 |
Musharraf's set-up has failed, says Fahim
KARACHI, April 27: People's Party Parliamentarians leader and chairman for the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim has said the system introduced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf has failed
, adding that the PPP was determined to strive for a free and fair democratic dispensation in the country.
Speaking at a press conference at the residence of Nafees Siddiqui here on Tuesday, Mr Fahim said President Musharraf, who wielded absolute power, could dissolve assemblies as and when it suited him. He, however, emphasized that elected assemblies must be allowed to complete their term.
The ARD chief alleged that the policies of the government had caused a price spiral owing to which people were being forced to commit suicide. Many people, he said, had been rendered jobless.
Makhdoom Fahim said the military should not have any role in a political dispensation and it should fulfil its obligations as spelt out in the 1973 Constitution, according to which, a parliamentary system headed by a civilian should have undiluted authority in the governance.
The ARD chief said Gen Musharraf had been accusing others of being corrupt and was subjecting them to victimization. Now, he himself had admitted that there were some corrupt people in the cabinet but he had not taken any action against such elements.
Expressing reservations on the government's claim of transparency in elections, the PPP leader said interventions by the military only added to the problems and seriously undermined democratic dispensation.
In reply to a question regarding by-elections, the ARD chief said that in Khairpur a PPP candidate had been abducted and tortured by police and was forced to withdraw from the contest. If that was the state of affairs then the country's integrity and democracy were at risk, he said. This, he added, nullified the government's claim of holding free, fair and transparent elections.
He said that if the regime had learnt any lessons from history, bloody incidents could have been averted in Wana and other tribal areas. These incidents, he said, would have far-reaching ramifications.
He told a questioner that 140 million people had the right to decide about the sending of troops to Iraq or anywhere else. Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that unemployment, poverty, price hike, corruption and denial of justice were the main problems of Pakistan.
He claimed that owing to government's policy, crushing the opposition for perpetuating a one-man rule, investment was not coming and the country was heading towards disaster.
Makhdoom Fahim said that educated people were unemployed because the government was not creating job opportunities. He said that when such opportunities were not provided desperate people took up arms. He also criticized the government for following different standards for education in urban and rural areas. As a result, he said, those who came from rural areas are not getting a fair deal.
Asked to comment on PML-N president Mian Shahbaz Sharif's plan to return to the country, the ARD chief said he was a citizen of Pakistan and had the right to return to his country. Replying to another question, he sad that the PPP was always ready to hold dialogue with anyone without compromising on principles.
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