19 August 2004	Thursday	02 Rajab 1425

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PESHAWAR, Aug 18: Central leader of the Pakistan National Forum Air Marshal (retired) Asghar Khan has said that both politicians and the army are responsible for the prevalent political crisis in the country.

"One political party invited the army to snatch the government from another," he told reporters on the occasion of the joining of the Pakistan National Forum by the former judges, Justice (retired) Burhanuddin and Justice (retired) Ali Hussain Qazalbash here on Tuesday.

Mr Khan made it clear that his forum had no political aims, but wanted to provide guidance to the people in these trying times. Alleging that the political parties had no principles or ideology, he said that there were some people of integrity in the political parties, who were joining the PNF.

"We want to solve the problems faced by the people and do not have any ambition for power," he added. He said that former senior judges of the superior courts were coming to join the forum.

PNF's central coordinator Illahi Bakhsh Soomro said that the office of the prime minister was being disgraced and demanded complete freedom of judiciary and a constitution, which is acceptable to the provinces.

Fair, free and transparent elections had never been held in this country, except in 1970, but its results were not accepted by late Yahya Khan which led to the dismemberment of the country.

Mr Soomro said that the country was passing through a dark period and people were asking (President Pervez) Musharraf if the country would remain safe. The army, he said, had forcibly occupied the government because it had guns through which it controlled the people.

On the occasion, former chief justice of the Peshawar High Court Justice (retired) Burhanuddin announced his joining of the PNF. He expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of the judiciary in the country.

He alleged that Justice (retired) Sajjad Ali Shah was removed when he wanted to appoint three judges. Justice (retired) Qazalbash, who also joined the PNF on the occasion, said that the army's job was not to rule the people, but it should be subservient to the elected government.

He said that the Muslims had rendered matchless sacrifices for the attainment of independence from the Britishers. "But, we have made mess of things and today even Bangladesh is well ahead of us in all spheres of development."