29 May 2004	Saturday	09 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

PESHAWAR, May 28: The Pakistan People's Party has said that by appointing Maulana Fazlur Rehman as Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, the government has tried to create a 'friendly opposition' to facilitate rulers' misdeeds.

Taking exception to remarks made by Mufti Kifaitullah in a statement against the PPP's leadership, party's information secretary Khwaja Yawar Naseer claimed that the appointment of Maulana Fazlur Rehman would weaken the democratic forces who were opposed to the mullah-military alliance.

Talking to Dawn here on Friday, he advised Mufti Kifaitullah to analyze the role of certain MMA leaders who, by strengthening the hands of military dictators, were equally responsible for the subversion of Constitution and destruction of democratic process in the country.

These so-called religious leaders had been acting as a B-team of dictatorial regimes since the dissolution of the first constituent assembly, he charged. Mr Yawar said if an independent MPA Shahzada Gustasap could be made leader of the opposition in the NWFP Assembly, then why Makhdoom Amin Fahim could not be appointed leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

The powers-that-be who appointed Maulana Fazl had tried to hoodwink the masses by that decision, the PPP leader added. The MMA leadership had opposed the formation of the National Security Council, but now it was the main supporter of the ultra-constitutional body. This duplicity had exposed the real face of MMA leaders, he claimed.

Mr Yawar reminded Mufti Kifaitullah that if the PPP had been a B-team of rulers, PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari would have been partners of the present regime.