17 September 2004	Friday	01 Shaban 1425

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

QUETTA, Sept 16: The opposition leader in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, on Thursday cautioned the government that President Gen Pervez Musharraf's refusal to leave his military post in accordance with its agreement with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal would create a serious crisis in the country.

Speaking at a public meeting held by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam on the Adalat Road in Hub, the MMA leader said the government must halt the military operation in Wana. He termed the action part of a conspiracy against the integrity of the nation.

He said Gen Musharraf and Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had hailed the agreement between the MMA and the government when it was reached and dubbed it a victory of the constitution.

He said the basic reason for the MMA's support to the 17th Amendment was that the president and the PML leadership had committed that Gen Musharraf would opt either for the post of the head of the state or the chief of the army staff by Dec 31.

He warned that if the president backed out from his commitment, it would lead to a crisis that would not be in the interest of the constitution, democracy and parliament.

He said President Musharraf and his advisers were pushing the country towards uncertainty by refusing to implement the amendment in letter and spirit. He said the military operation in the tribal areas had created hatred between tribesmen and the army.

He said the government must realize the ground reality that use of the army against tribesmen would not suppress the movement in South Waziristan.

He said the government must tackle the issue politically. He criticized the recent raids on madressahs and said oppression could not subdue ulema. MNA Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari also spoke.