June 02, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1428

HYDERABAD, June 1: Sindh PPP chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that the question of holding any talks with the government at this stage does not arise ‘as our wounds are fresh, we have lost 15 devoted members in the May 12 killings, one has lost his legs, two are in coma and 70 others are lying in hospitals with bullet injuries.’

He told a news conference at the press club on Friday that the only way to extricate the country from the present crisis was immediate, fair, impartial and transparent general elections under the supervision of an interim government and independent and autonomous election commission.

He said tat the present assemblies could not become an electoral college for re-election of President Musharraf and added that it was unanimous stance of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and other opposition parties.

He said that if Gen Pervez Musharraf thought he was popular among masses and wanted to contest elections for the post of the president, he should tender resignation and seek the election through coming assemblies.

The People’s Party Parliamentarians leader said that the government claimed to be champion of democracy, independence of judiciary, freedom of press and human rights but it had destroyed all the institutions of the country and had been violating human rights.

Mr Shah said that the PPP had also prepared footage of May 12 incidents which would be produced in the Sindh High Court. He said it was after eight days that the Sindh chief minister came out with a statement that some mistakes might have been committed by a coalition partner but he had to carry the load.

Mr Shah said that when the Sindh governor called on him, he said that an exercise to disarm the people would be carried out. “But, I told the governor that charity should begin at home.” He said that the PPP had no dispute with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement but differences between them existed on matters of principles.

He added that ‘artificial’ governments had been imposed on Sindh and the country.

He condemned the issuance of threats to Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists general secretary Mazhar Abbas and other journalists by sending them bullets in envelops.

He also took strong exception to the threats to print and electronic media and disclosed that his one-hour interview for a private TV channel had not been telecast.

He said that the powers that be had repeatedly declared that Ms Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif could not return to the country and that they were disqualified to become prime ministers. He said that it appeared as if the rulers had themselves become the judges and the jury as well as the interpreters of the constitution.

He said that no one but the people should decide who should rule the country.

Earlier, Mr Shah met with the Sindh Taraqqi-Pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi at Taraqqi-Pasand house to express sympathies for the STP workers who were injured on May 12.

The PPP leader also visited Awami House to offer condolences to Awami Tehrik leader Ayaz Latif Palijo on the death of an Awami Tehrik worker, who was killed on May 12.

MAGSI: Chairman of the Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, Dr Qadir Magsi, held the terrorists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) responsible for the May 12 carnage and accused President Musharraf of supporting Altaf Hussain.

He said that his party was an integral part of the democratic culture of the country and added that it has introduced new trends in nationalist politics.

Talking to journalists at the Taraqi Pasand House on Friday after his meeting with Syed Qasim Ali Shah, provincial chief of PPP, who called on him to express sympathies with him as quite a few STP workers were injured in May 12 carnage in Karachi, he said consensus between STP and PPP existed on many issues.

During the meeting we discussed national issues specially the political situation obtaining in Sindh, he added.

He said without an end to the dictatorship and restoration of supremacy of constitution, undiluted democracy could not be restored in the country. He said democracy will remain a misnomer without independence of the judiciary.

He said a vigorous struggle must continue for the reinstatement of Chief Justice of Pakistan.