11 October 2004	Monday	25 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 10: By accusing Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of striking a deal with the rulers, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) is vainly seeking that people forget how their democratic rights were bartered through 'the mother of all deals it had struck with the military regime'.

PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said this while denouncing the statement of MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmad that the PPP had tried to strike a deal with the government for the release of Asif Ali Zardari.

He said the regime sought to lure the PPP into dubious deals but was frustrated because the party refused to compromise, unlike the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, on the democratic rights of the people. "It was the MMA that lent its weight to the military Junta to deface the Constitution and alter its basic structure through the 17th amendment.

"It was the MMA which gave totalitarian powers of Mullah Omar to the president so as to marginalize the mainstream democratic political parties. It was the MMA which by allowing an army chief to also become the president gave a permanent role to the military in politics and governance.

"Who knows tomorrow the MMA would not support Chairman Joint Chiefs to also preside over the sittings of the National Assembly? By endorsing the army chief as elected president, who knows it will not endorse the corps commanders to sit in the Senate and the divisional commanders to sneak into the National Assembly as elected members?"

The PPP spokesperson said instead of accusing democratic parties the MMA should reject the 17th amendment if it genuinely believes that General Musharraf has reneged on his promise."

He said the PPP stood for political settlement respecting the rights of the people. When the people's rights are respected, Mr Zardari will be automatically freed, as it would no longer be possible to lock up an opponent to blackmail his wife.