May 28, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 27: Opposition leaders on Saturday claimed that the Charter of Democracy (CoD) would provide justice to masses at grass-root level.

They were addressing a seminar on “Charter of Democracy”, organised by Liberal Forum Pakistan (LFP) here at a local hotel. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Sher Afgan Niazi also addressed the seminar.

The PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that CoD staunchly believed in the appointment of talented and impartial judges after the approval of an independent judicial commission.

He alleged that the present government had failed to give justice to the people adding that for the first time the CoD has devised selection criteria for the appointment of judges.

Mr Iqbal said that the military-led regime was black mailing the historic charter mainly because under the CoD military would be made accountable to the civilian government.

Reacting to Parliamentary Minister Sher Afgan’s statement that CoD has been signed by two former political rivals, the PML- N leader said: “The charter would close the chapter of political polarisation among various political parties in future.”

While Sher Afgan was of the view that CoD was the second form of Legal Framework Order (LFO) as it had endorsed five sections of the LFO, Mr Ahsan argued that PPP and PML-N had not compromised with the dictatorship.

He said that the charter would empower the people and the political representatives would be accountable to their respective constituents.

The PPP information secretary Sherry Rehman was of the view that CoD would bifurcate the power limits of military and civil bureaucracy adding that the charter was not against the military rather it focussed on the professionalism of armed forces.

“Pakistan needs an expert and specialised army in defence matters but not in political affairs of the state. Parliament should be the forum of public representatives and not of military alliance,” she remarked.

“If two politically rival parties enter reconciliation and pledge to restore the constitution then why should they be blamed rather they should be appreciated for not repeating the past mistakes,” she asked.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Afgan said that the very place where Charter of Democracy was signed belonged to a corrupt ex- service man and added that the two exiled prime ministers were once again trying to loot the national economy.

“The CoD has not mentioned intra-parties elections which clearly indicates that the two exiled leaders do not want to surrender powers to their other party leaders,” the minister added.

Sher Afgan Niazi disclosed that President Gen Musharraf has made 12 times direct contacts with PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and said that

Benazir has entered negotiation with the president.

Mr Niazi said that every country possessing nuclear power have formed National Security Council (NSC) adding that CoD was against the council which was a clear violation of international law.

To a question, he said that 1973 constitution has been amended 150 times since its formation even by its founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto by giving preference to presidential type of government.

Chairman LFP, Asif Khan in his concluding remarks strongly supported the CoD arguing that it would keep check on the expenditure of military.

“Over 1,000 military men have been appointed in civil bureaucracy which is matter of grave concern for all democratic powers,” he said.