12 November 2004	Friday	28 Ramazan 1425

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KARACHI, Nov 11: Pakistan Muslim League-F chief Pir Pagara has said that in the present situation, either martial law or presidential form of government is the solution. Without naming the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, he said that the "present chaos" was the outcome of politics by the maulvis.

Pir Pagara, who hosted an Iftar for newsmen at his residence "Kingri House" in KDA Scheme-I, was responding to various questions.

"If a new martial law is imposed in the country, Ulema would be responsible for the subsequent events", he added.

In reply to a question he said that the present government did make mistakes but even then the government cannot be ousted through street power, but only through army intervention.

The PML-F chief said it had become a hallmark of the opposition in the country to oust the government first and then start quarrelling over distribution of seats. This paves the way for the army takeover.

"Anyone who takes over the command of events, he refuses to transfer power and thus provides an opportunity to the opposition to launch again another movement against the government.

Pir Pagara said that if the opposition succeeds to form a grand alliance to launch a movement against the government as PPP-P Chief Makhdoom Amin Faheem appeared to be optimistic, the movement would not be against the civilian government, but against the army and ultimately the beneficiary of the situation would not be politicians, but the army.

A religious scholar, he said, could not become a good politician nor a politician could become a good scholar", he added.

Pir Pagara said the system prevailing in the country was not a real democracy, but a disciplined democracy, and the opposition was striving to change it which was not possible by confrontation.

He said a true democratic order in the country could only usher when oppressed people would have a sway over running the affairs of the country.

To another question, he said a general had always a future as general was always a general till his last.

Pir Pagara said Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim was not his choice for the office of chief minister, but of the powers that be and they had no choice but to accept him. However, he made it clear that the government could not last without cooperation and any one who would extend cooperation, he was prepared to support him.