18 January 2005	Tuesday	07 Zilhaj 1425

LAHORE, Jan 17: By reconciliation the PPP-Parliamentarians means handing over of reigns of the country to public representatives and not necessarily to the party, says central information bureau coordinator MPA Farzana Raja.

She was informally talking to reporters before the Punjab Assembly session here on Monday. She said her party was ready to sit with the government for discussing issues of national importance like Kalabagh Dam and Balochistan.

She was critical of the parliamentary committee on Balochistan which had contacted only Sardars (chieftains) ignoring ordinary people of the province. The committee did not even include members of the Balochistan Assembly, she lamented. Almost in every operation, whether military or otherwise, Punjabis were being involved causing disharmony among provinces.

Criticizing Gen Musharraf's threat to Balochis in a TV interview, Ms Raja said when a man holding a responsible office was talking in that tone then what to expect from the masses. "Actually there is one-man rule. Neither the ruling PML nor the parliament is being taken into confidence on any issue in this true democracy."

Answering a question about the rape of a lady doctor allegedly by an army captain and others in Sui, Balochistan, she said sub-ordinates followed their bosses. When the army chief would abrogate the Constitution with impunity, his juniors would not hesitate to violate laws.

About construction of Kalabagh and other dams, she urged consensus among provinces. Exchange of delegations at mass level would be a good tool to remove misunderstandings and to achieve this consensus.

Ms Raja said issues of national importance could not be solved without exiled popular leadership. Responding to a query regarding MQM chief Altaf Husain's statements, she termed the party a group of extremists.