KARACHI, Oct 2: The All Parties Action Committee (APAC) of the opposition on Saturday announced launching of a campaign against the government and Gen Musharraf on October 10.

An announcement to this effect said that the campaign against the 'undemocratic rule' in the country and the 'US-backed president' would be launched with the holding of a seminar in Karachi on October 10.

The action committee said that the campaign would continue during the holy month of Ramazan and beyond December 31.

The announcement was made by Convener of the APAC Maulana Qazi Ahmed Noorani Siddiqui at a press conference held at the office of the committee here on Saturday.

Among those present on the occasion were Rashid Rabbani of PPP-P, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid of JUI, Allama Hasan Turabi of Shia Ulema Council, Sardar Rahim of PML-N, Basharat Mirza of PDP and Zafar Taqi Rizvi of PNP.

Criticizing military rulers Gen Ayub Khan, Gen Yahya Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq, Maulana Siddiqui said Pakistan was made to suffer losses and its people had to face immense hardship during their tenures. "And now the present ruler, who took over by toppling a democratic government, defamed politicians and brought in corrupt people as legislators," he said, adding that an army of ministers had been inducted and politicians were being blackmailed.

The APAC convener said the changing of prime ministers in a shameful manner and elevation of a 'US-sponsored person' to that position, and then refusal by Gen Musharraf to doff his uniform in contravention of his own commitment had forced the committee to launch the campaign which was aimed at getting genuine democracy restored.

He said that the first event of the campaign would be a seminar on the subject, Are uniformed rulers inevitable for Pakistan? which would be addressed and participated by central leaders of all major political parties of the country. -PPI