26 October 2004	Tuesday	11 Ramazan 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: Members of treasury benches did not come to defend the bill on uniform at a seminar, leaving the field open for the opposition members who opposed the legislation and crticized military's interference in politics.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) MNA Riaz Hussain Pirzada were to represent the government at a seminar on "Retaining Two Offices Under Sustainable Democracy" arranged by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute on Monday. However, when they did not show up, the organizers had to start the proceedings without them after a delay of one hour.

PML-N MNA Maimoona Hashmi, Balochistan National Party MNA Abdul Rauf Mengal and MNA Mohammad Laeeque Khan of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) represented the opposition parties.

One of the organizers announced that despite confirming their participation even five minutes before the start of the seminar, both the treasury MNAs could not come. He said both the MNAs told him on telephone that they were late because of a quorum problem in the National Assembly, but they would definitely come. However, despite the fact the assembly session was over soon after 3pm, they did not come to the seminar that ended at 4:10pm.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdul Rauf Mengal said no dictator in the past ever tried to present such a bill in the parliament, despite the fact they also did various legislations to prolong their rule. He said the opposition parties were not given sufficient time to speak on the bill.

Mr Mengal also criticized the MMA for extending its support to the government during passage of the 17th Amendment bill. He said it was after the 17th Amendment that the National Security Council was set up.

He said the bill on uniform, passed by the National Assembly, was very damaging not only for the democracy, but also for the country. He said law and order situation had become worse and the security agencies were busy only in providing protection to the president and the prime minister, and had no concern for the safety of the people.

He said the opposition wanted that the military should perform its duties in accordance with the Constitution. The National Accountability Bureau, he said, had become a tool in the hands of the government to victimize its opponents. He also condemned conviction of ARD President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and former NA speaker Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani. He said Mr Hashmi was being punished because of his role in the struggle against dictatorship.

Mr Mengal said treason cases were being registered against the people of Balochistan only because they were opposing establishment of cantonments in the province. He said the government had allocated Rs80 billion for setting up of cantonments in different parts of the province. He asked the government to spend this amount on setting up educational institutions, hospitals and drinking water schemes in the province. He said out of 26 divisions in Balochistan, there was electricity in only eight.

He said if opposing cantonments was tantamount to treason then they were ready to be called rebels.

PML-N MNA Maimoona Hashmi alleged that Gen Musharraf was "disgracing" the whole army by using his uniform only to prolong his rule. She said the country had to suffer a lot in the past due to military rules. The country lost several wars due to non- availability of full time army chief, she said.

The PML-N leader said the number of those living below poverty line had constantly been increasing during the past five years and it had touched the mark of 60 million. She said the military rulers did not trust any one. Even the person who used to call Gen Musharraf his boss was removed from the office of the prime minister. She said a military general could not become a representative of people.

She said the judiciary was not functioning independently in the country as judges had taken oath under the PCO. She said when Shahbaz Sharif came to Pakistan, the whole Punjab police were deployed in Lahore, leaving the other people at the mercy of the criminals.

She said her father Makhdoom Javed Hashmi had been convicted for 23 years, only for raising voice for the people's rights and democracy. Such punishments were not even given by the British in the sub-continent, she added.

She regretted that Gen Musharraf himself had become the president, the army chief, the chief executive and the NSC chairman. She said the words uttered by Gen Musharraf became a law. She said when the president met foreign dignitaries he did not wear his uniform. "Why did he meet Don McKinnon in civil dress," she asked. She said no one in the past could retain his uniform for long.

MMA leader Mohammad Laeeque Khan said the uniform had become a joke not only in the country, but it had also become an international issue. He also criticized the US, European countries and the Commonwealth for supporting dictatorship in Pakistan.

The MNA also criticized the legal advisers of Gen Musharraf for suggesting him legislations like bill on uniform. He said every military dictator used people like Sharifuddin Pirzada to prolong the rule. He said how could a person who travelled in three convoys defend the country or its people.

He said once again there were rumours that the prime minister was about to be changed. He said the Constitution clearly stated that armyman could not take part in politics.

He defended the MMA's stand on the 17th Amendment and said the religious parties alliance would not give more time to the general to stay in power, and expressed the hope that this would be the last military rule in the country.