30 October 2004	Saturday	15 Ramazan 1425

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KARACHI, Oct 29: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) staged a rally at Karachi Press Club on Monday for the restoration of undiluted democratic order in the country , supremacy of Constitution and release of all political prisoners, including ARD chief Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari.

The rally was organized to protest against the conviction and continued detention of Makhdoom Hashmi who was arrested on this day last year for, what the PML-N claims, demanding enforcement of article-6 of the Constitution.

The participants of the rally, who were later on joined in by PPP leaders and activists, were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans: Javed Hashmi be released; Forced exile not acceptable; Struggle will continue till supremacy of Constitution is restored.

Addressing the protesters, PML-N leaders eulogised Makhdoom Hashmi's services to the cause of democracy and flayed the government for implicating him in a 'baseless' treason case and sentencing him to 23-year term.

"If Mr Hashmi is a traitor, then no one in the country is patriot," one of the speakers declared. The leaders resolved to continue the party's struggle until the release of Makhdoom Hashmi, Asif Zardari and all other political leaders, as well as restoration of the 1973 Constitution.

Acting chief of the PML-N, Sindh, Imdad Chandio said no conscientious citizen of Pakistan would reconcile with the forced exile of Nawaz Sharif and arrest of Makhdoom Hashmi.

Accusing the rulers of betraying the country and Kashmiri Muslims, he resolved that the PML-N, after coming into power, would institute cases against them. He alleged that the government had resorted to launching military operation against countrymen in certain parts of the country only to appease the United States.

Provincial Secretary General of the party Mamnoon Hussain said that it was deviation from the Constitution that led to the emergence of all evils. The prevailing crises could not be overcome until the Constitution was implemented in letter and spirit, and all institutions were made to function within their limits, he observed.

Mr Hussain demanded holding of fresh elections under an independent election commission, respect to people's mandate and supremacy of parliament. Speaking at the rally, PPP leader Rashid Rabbani said that Makhdoom Hashmi's only crime was his demand for the implementation of the Constitution.

Sardar Rahim said that masses had rejected Gen Musharraf's Kashmir formula that tantamount to compromise on the UN Security Council's resolution and setting aside the wishes of Kashmiri people. Zain Ansari, Nihal Hashmi and Basharat Mirza were among others who addressed the rally.