September 28, 2005	Wednesday	Sha'aban 23, 1426

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

LAHORE, Sept 27: Heads of the ARD and the MMA resolved at a seminar here on Tuesday to launch a decisive movement against what they called unconstitutional military rule, as a former chief of the ISI assured them that if the people came out on the streets, the army would be on their side.

“In case the army doesn’t return to the barracks honourably, people might put it in a difficult situation”, ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim warned, denying reports that the PPP and the government had once started talks to settle differences.

MMA President Qazi Husain Ahmed said if people were given a call to converge on Islamabad for 10 to 15 days with leaders addressing them everyday, the system would be choked and the rulers would be left with no option but to quit.

The leaders of the two coalitions, which have been on opposite sides in the past, were among a number of others who spoke on the second death anniversary of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, the architect of several opposition alliances in more than half a century of his active political life.

ARD Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, PPP Secretary-General Jehangir Badr, Meraj Muhammad Khan, former ISI chief Gen Hameed Gul, Munir Ahmed Khan, Maimoona Hashmi, Senator Amanullah Kanrani and Manzoor Gilani also addressed. PDP President Nawabzada Mansoor Khan presided.

Mr Fahim said whenever rival political parties moved closer, the government started spreading rumours to create confusion. These days, he said, there were rumours that the government planned to enforce presidential system. He said since the existing assembly was legislative, not constitutional, it had no mandate to change the basic structure of the Constitution. He said such a move would be resisted tooth and nail.

The ARD chief said a military rule was not in the interest of the country or its defenders and the opposition parties wanted the army to confine its role to the one mentioned in the Constitution. He said since the army was caught in a difficult situation, his party was willing to give it an exit. “But this doesn’t mean talks are going on between the two sides. No secret talks will be held at all”.

Mr Fahim said the term of President Musharraf was coming to an end in 2007 and a year later his main supporter President Bush would also be out of office after completing his two four-year terms. This, he said, meant that the time was not far off when people would start looking towards a man likely to succeed Mr Bush.

In such a situation, he said, Pakistan should take its decisions keeping its long-term interests in mind.

MMA President Qazi Husain Ahmed said decision that the opposition parties would not take part in any future election to be held under the supervision of Gen Musharraf meant that he would be dislodged with public support before the next polls.

He said for the time being people were not coming out on the streets because they were disappointed by political parties. Once the parties succeeded in assuring the masses that they were seriously working for the restoration of democracy, only five public meetings in important cities would bring about an unbelievable change in the situation.

“People don’t want a cosmetic change; they are waiting for a revolution which could solve their problems”.

Referring to the critics of Punjab because of its alleged inactive role in the present situation, the MMA chief said this very province would play a lead role in bringing about a revolution. “This is the heart of the Islamic world”, he said of Punjab, adding that once it was mobilized, the entire nation would be mobilized.

Qazi Husain severely criticized the policies being followed by the present rulers, saying the country was being secularized and religious seminaries were being raided. He said at a time when Al-Quds was under Israel’s illegal occupation, it was wrong on the part of the rulers to say that Pakistan had no direct dispute with the Jewish state.

He held the army responsible for most of the problems facing the country, and said they should go back to the barracks as their involvement in political matters was adversely affecting their defence capability.

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra urged all political parties to rise above their personal interests and launch a movement against Gen Musharraf.

He praised the role played by the Nawabzada for democracy, saying the future generations would be proud of it.

Veteran leader Meraj Muhammad Khan predicted a terrible civil war taking place in the country. He said at present people were not coming out on the streets because of their economic problems. And unless people from all walks of life played their due role, riddance from dictatorship would not be possible, said Mr Khan.

He said since the court had declared some military rulers usurpers, there was no justification to keep their photographs at the Presidency along with other heads of state.

Jehangir Badr said the PPP was opposed to “feudal democracy” as it meant rule by a few individuals. He said his party was struggling for the real democracy.

Former ISI chief Gen Hameed Gul said only a general needed to be reined in as the entire army was not involved in governance. He said political parties should turn a back on the United States and trust in Allah and people to achieve the target — democracy.

“Once you are out on streets,I know what will be their reaction — they will be on the side of the people. The army is an extension of society”.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)