March 04, 2007	Sunday	Safar 14, 1428

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LAHORE, March 3: Alarmed by the US Senators’ calls for direct strikes inside Pakistan and tensions growing between Islamabad and neighbouring states, leader of the opposition in the Senate Raza Rabbani demanded on Saturday that the government should convene a session of parliament, in camera if necessary, to discuss the situation and work out a strategy to ward off threats to the country.

At a news conference at the office of former Punjab PPP information secretary Naveed Chaudhry, he said US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi, vice-president Dick Cheney and British foreign secretary had visited Pakistan, ostensibly to discuss security-related issues, but the rulers had not informed the nation about the outcome. Also, he said, Nato aircraft had violated Pakistan’s airspace, but the government was tight-lipped.

He said at a time when Pakistan’s security was at stake, Islamabad’s ambassador to Washington was reported to have said in an interview that direct US strikes in Pakistan would destabilise the Musharraf regime.

Slamming the ‘ridiculous’ statement, Senator Rabbani said the ambassador was more worried about the stability of the regime than sovereignty of the country. “Nothing will survive if the federation is threatened,” said the PPP leader, calling for an urgent parliament session to discuss the developments.

He announced that he and National Assembly opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman would boycott the National Disaster Management Commission (NDMC) meeting scheduled to be held on March 5 in Islamabad. Both of them are members of the commission, of which Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is the chairman.

Rabbani conveyed his decision to the premier through a letter he released at the news conference.

He said the commission had been set up through an ordinance, a step that violates the constitution as the National Assembly was working and could create the body through an enactment. Also, he said, financial accountability through parliament and parliamentary supervision were lacking in the presidential ordinance.

Disapproving of the ongoing military operation in Balochistan, Senator Rabbani said the government should try to find a solution to the problem through a dialogue.

People of Balochistan, he said, were demanding their rights within the framework of the constitution, because of which there was no justification whatsoever for a military action against them.

Seeking an immediate end to the operation, he said a dialogue should be initiated with the mainstream political leaders of the country’s most backward province. Likewise, he said, political leaders and workers arrested by the authorities should be set free immediately.

“If the situation is so grim as being painted by you, what is the justification for Ms Bhutto to stay away from the APC being called to discuss all major national problems facing the country?” a reporter asked.

In response, Rabbani said it had been decided by the PPP and the PML-N leaders that Ms Bhutto would not participate and that a delegation would represent the party. He made it clear that the declaration to be approved by the APC would be vetted by both the former prime ministers.

He said the PPP believed that it would have been better if the APC had been called when Gen President sought re-election from the present assemblies. But, he said, since the PML-N wanted to hold the moot now, the PPP did not like to oppose it. The PPP would abide by the decisions taken by the APC, he added.

He said the PPP wanted to mount pressure on the rulers to hold free and transparent polls. But a final decision about participation in the electoral process would be taken in consultation with other opposition parties, he clarified.

He told a questioner that rumours were taking rounds that emergency could be imposed in view of the prevailing situation. But, he said, the government would have no justification to delay the electoral process even if the country was at war.

He said the deteriorating law and order situation was the direct consequence of the internal and external policies being followed by the government. It was appalling, he said, that the government was not taking into confidence the nation or its elected representatives.

Rabbani said the policy being followed in Waziristan and Fata had failed to bring the desired results.