PESHAWAR, Nov 30: The National Party has said that restoring democracy and defeating the usurpers in Pakistan is not less than bringing about a revolution.

Speaking at the Peshawar Press Club's meet the press programme here on Thursday, PN secretary general Hasil Khan Bezinjo said that genuine political forces had realised that the military rulers were not ready to transfer the power to the civil society. He said military rulers had occupied each institution in the country to advance their political interests.

Senator Dr Abdul Malik, party’s NWFP organiser Mukhtar Ali Bacha, labour leader Gul Rehman and political workers attended the meeting.

Mr Bezinjo said only a stable democratic system could guarantee the federation’s integrity, otherwise centrifugal forces would set the pace of politics in the country.

He said: "One cannot think of strengthening the country without true democracy, in which federating units, besides political power, enjoy financial autonomy as well." He demanded of Islamabad to delegate financial powers to the Senate, which was a representative body of the federating units.

He said the military had ruled the country for the past 48 years, adding that Gen Mohammad Ayub Khan was no different than Gen Pervez Musharraf as both had destroyed democracy and launched military operations against the Baloch people. He said a power troika, comprising civilian-military bureaucracies and feudal lords, had taken the country hostage since 1950. He said military rulers had overpowered everyone in Pakistan.

He said after the dismemberment of former Soviet Union, all pro-American parties were fighting each other in Afghanistan.He alleged that Pakistani rulers had helped destroy Afghans and their country.

Mr Bezinjo denied the involvement of any neighbouring country behind the growing political unrest in Balochistan. He said the military was responsible for current state of affairs in Balochistan.

He said the government had arrested hundreds of youths on false charges to end their just struggle for rights.

He said that after the assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti, none of the political party was ready to believe in Islamabad’s offers for talks. He said that the Baloch people would never compromise on their rights.

Mr Bezinjo said his party believed in secularism, democracy and national autonomy for all the federating units. Currently, he said, the federation was doling out the bare minimum to keep the federating units functional, but in the democratic system, federating units contributed to the federation.

He said his party favoured vesting of three subjects, currency, defence and foreign affairs to the centre. He said if municipal governments could run sea ports in western countries, provinces could manage the affairs of their ports.