KARACHI, May 22: The constitution and national security of the country are facing immense threats as Gen Pervez Musharraf is busy paving the way for a presidential form of government by creating engineered differences among provinces. This was stated by Deputy Secretary General of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and MNA Liaquat Baloch while addressing a press conference at Quba Auditorium on Saturday night.

Mr Baloch said the country could only be steered out from the present crisis after Gen Musharraf tendered his resignation, a new president was elected according to the 1973 constitution, and a future strategy was formulated in Parliament through open debate on issues confronting the nation.

He stressed all political parties to workout a joint strategy for bringing an end to the supremacy of the army, to protect the 1973 constitution and for survival of the parliamentary form of government.

In response to a question, Mr Baloch said the MMA was prepared to launch a joint struggle with all political parties, over and above political and ideological differences, to get rid of autocratic rule, and for restoration of democracy.

The MMA leader accused the President of achieving his ulterior motives by dismantling the present ruling coalition of PML-Q. “Now, it was on the top of his agenda,” he claimed. He alleged that the tenure of the present rulers was chequered with falsification, fraud and lies.

He alleged that President Musharraf had created a constitutional crisis in the country by breaching the agreement with the MMA about keeping either the office of the President or the Chief of Army Staff.

Mr Baloch observed that after the sacking of former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat was next, as his political career was reaching its end. He alleged that in the past Gen Musharraf had even sacked his close generals from the army.

“There is a one-man rule in the country,” the MMA leader said, further alleging that the present rulers were not only harming the image of the army, but also disgracing the country the world over by rejecting decisions of the apex court, as well as, the wishes and aspiration of the masses.

Flaying government policies, he alleged that the rulers were working on Western and the US agendas, and blindly acting on their wishes and whims.

He maintained that the people of Pakistan would never accept a sell-out of Kashmir and the supremacy of India.

He was of the view that the US wanted to lessen the importance of Pakistan’s strategic position, and was “pitting us against our people in Wana and South and North Wazirstan”.

The MMA leader observed that Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan and Iraq had already deteriorated, adding that due to the apathetic policies of the rulers “our relations with Iran and China are also on the decline”. He alleged that the rulers were mulling over the “acceptance of Israel”.

Slamming the government’s economic policies, Mr Baloch said: “Frequent price hikes, rising inflation and soaring unemployment are fruits of the economic policies of the present government. The masses are in great trouble and committing suicides.”

Mr Baloch said the MMA’s main leaders would lead the May 27 rallies. MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed would lead a rally in Islamabad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Peshawar, Syed Munawwar Hassan in Karachi, Maulana Ghafoor Hyderi and Maulana Abdul Haq in Quetta and Dr Mumtaz Memon in Hyderabad, he said.