KARACHI, Aug 2: Chief of the Tehrik-i-Insaaf Imran Khan has advised major opposition alliances, MMA and ARD, to supplement their initiative of moving a no-confidence motion against the prime minister by tendering of resignations from assemblies.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, Mr Khan said that the no-trust motion intended to be move by the joint opposition against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would prove meaningless if the opposition legislators did not quit assemblies as a follow-up action and a popular campaign was not launched to oust the military rulers.

He was of the view that holding of elections did not mean that democracy was restored. The election process was just a criterion for the introduction of a democratic dispensation, he said. An independent election commission and a free judiciary were essential institutions to ensure credibility of any election and democratic process.

Responding to a question, he Gen Musharraf would not quit and democracy could not return to the country unless a popular campaign involving masses was launched. He said that a decision to this effect would be taken at the joint opposition’s meeting to be held on Aug 6 and 7 in Islamabad.

The PTI chief condemned Israel for committing war crimes in Lebanon in sheer violation of the Geneva Convention and UN charter with complete impunity, adding that the United States is equally involved in such crimes as it has extended its full support to the Zionist regime.

The Islamic countries and their organization, OIC, are helpless in restraining Israel from continuing with its naked aggression because the US and its western allies, despite having the strength, are frustrating the Ummah’s moves in this regard through their dictatorial attitude to encourage Israel.

The biggest problem is the absence of democracy in Islamic countries, including Pakistan, according to Mr Khan, who explained that the US was exploiting the situation where it was extending all support to dictators and non-representatives governments and, in turn, forcing them not to speak against its policies.

He deplored that Israeli jets had been strafing Lebanese territory at its will, besides showering missiles, mostly targeting civilian population and civic infrastructure. The aggression has already left hundreds of innocent men, women and children dead and many more are prone to the Israeli blitz.

Mr Khan severely criticised certain Muslim heads of state and government for seeking US permission even for issuing a statement against Israel. “They are US slaves and interested only in ensuring their continued rule,” he remarked.