‘PPP to resist Musharraf’s re-election in uniform’
By Ahmed Hassan
ISLAMABAD, April 23: People’s Party Parliamentarians chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Monday said the PPP would never accept General Musharraf in uniform and would resist his re-election as president for the next term.
He said the party’s central executive would take a decision whether to accept the general as the civilian president.
Talking to newsmen at the parliament house, the PPP leader described reports about deal with the government as deliberate ‘leaks’ to divert people’s attention from the real issues.
Rejecting the notion that the PPP had reached a deal with the government, he said: “Whatever we have done we have not deviated an inch from the Charter of Democracy.”
Replying to a question, he said all options including resignations from assemblies would be open for consideration.
Answering a question with regard to reports of his party’s alliance with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party, he said: “Any such thing could only materialise when elections’ schedule was announced in the country.”
When asked as to whether the PPP would be ready to accept General Musharraf without uniform he said: “It was high time for the general to say goodbye to his army chief’s uniform and to quit power in favour of an elected civilian set up.”
Replying to a query about the stand of few politicians that opposition parties should boycott any elections under the present dispensation he said: “All parties will participate in the elections as it was only way to allow democracy progress.”Whether his party will consider if General Musharraf accepts all the conditions set by his party, the Makhdoom said that first of all no conditions were acceptable to the PPP and then there was no proof that his party had set any conditions for any deal.He vehemently rejected as baseless a story of Newsweek claiming that General Musharraf had thrice telephonic contact with Benazir Bhutto during one month putting counter question whether the said reporter was sitting by the general.
However, he accepted that Gen Musharraf’s team had contacts with the party leadership and said that they (government emissaries) contact us and make offers, but we have neither considered nor accepted any of them.
He said that General Musharraf had took oath thrice first after referendum, second following 17th amendment and third after vote of confidence, but it was still open for legal experts to dilate upon limit of his term in office.
He dismissed as baseless the claims of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz that the government had any contacts with any opposition leader adding that if he described his sitting with him in the National Assembly seat then it was correct.
He termed the issue of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid as a gimmick deliberately started by agencies to divert public attention from the judicial crisis.
He agreed with a suggestion that opposition leaders should shun speaking against each other as it was very delicate moment for the integrity of the country and every one should play his part in saving the country from disintegration.
