KARACHI, May 21: President of the ARD Makhdoom Amin Fahim has alleged that the present military-led dispensation excels in rigging and is indulged in subverting peoples’ will and the constitution. Therefore, a free, fair and transparent election under this dispensation is not possible.

He was addressing a news conference at the Bilawal House here on Sunday on his return from London, where he attended the signing of the ‘Charter of Democracy’ by PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Describing the signing of the CoD as ‘a major breakthrough’ in the struggle for the restoration democracy in the country, he said that this would also close doors on military interventions and dictatorships.

He said that in July, heads of other component parties of the ARD would also sign the CoD in London. Before that, he added, the PPP and PML-N would have informal consultations with them in Pakistan.

He said that the PPP and PML-N had decided to take all democratic forces along, adding that PPP had instructed heads of its provincial set-ups to go and apprise the masses of the true spirit of the CoD so that they could have a better understanding about what had been agreed upon between the leaders of the two major parties.

Makhdoom Fahim, who was accompanied by PPP’s Central Information Secretary Ms Sherry Rehman (MNA), Deputy Secretary General and one of the co-authors of the CoD Senator Raza Rabbani, as well as Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nafees Siddiqui, said that the charter envisaged complete provincial autonomy and a restricted role for army, as enshrined in the 1973 constitution.

During the question-answer session, he made a scathing attack on the government, which, according to him, had become quite an expert in rigging and manipulating elections at national, provincial and even local level. “Therefore, in the presence of the present government, it is impossible even to dream of a free, fair and transparent election. Such an election is possible only under an independent and autonomous election commission and an interim government.”

He said that a caretaker government with national consensus was essential for transition of powers. He made it clear that there was no quid pro quo, and rejected the perception that any dialogue was under way with the Establishment.

He did not agree with a questioner that there was hidden provision for providing exit strategy to the military. He was not so categorical when asked whether he would accept the caretaker government coming into existence, if and when Gen Musharraf used his discretion.

Makhdoom Fahim, who is also president of the PPP-Parliamentarians, said that his party, after coming into power with the cooperation of masses, would get the country rid of dictatorship. “For this purpose, we are in constant touch with other political democratic forces.”

The ARD chief also lauded the role played by Mr Raza Rabbani and Dr Abbasi of the PPP; and Mr Ahsan Iqbal and Mr Ishaq Dar of the PML-N in evolving a consensus document.

Responding to queries about the concurrent list and its mention in the CoD, he said this had been done because the two parties wanted the concurrent list to be abolished once the complete provincial autonomy was granted. The constitution was muted about whether the list should be abolished or retained, because under an understanding, the list should have automatically abolished in 10 years after the implementation of the document. He pointed out that the constitution had no clause providing for the automatic abolition of the list in 10 years.

He said it was the earnest desire of the PPP to do away with the concurrent list but the party had been lacking the two-third majority in parliament that could enable it to do so.