June 07, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1428

QUETTA, June 6: Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai has proposed to opposition parties to observe a two-day countrywide strike against the Pemra ordinance placing curbs on media, “government’s assault on the judiciary” and denial of political and democratic rights to people.

Speaking at a press conference at the press club here on Wednesday, he said if the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal accepted four points of PONM, it would join hands with them to extricate the country of the present crisis.

Explaining the PONM points, he said although the 1973 Constitution did not satisfy oppressed nations, but for the unity of the country, the Constitution should be restored to its pre-October 12, 1999, shape, an interim government should be formed to hold elections under an independent election commission headed by a judge who had not taken oath under the PCO, power should be transferred to the majority group in the assembly and there should be no role of the army and intelligence agencies in politics.

Lashing out at the army ruler for his “dictatorial acts”, Mr Achakzai condemned the imposition of restrictions on media and said democratic forces would not compromise on rule of the law, supremacy of the Constitution, freedom of the press, independence of the judiciary and democratic rule.

He said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had established the National Security Council to keep all powers in his hands.

Mr Achakzai, who is also chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, said the country was passing through a critical juncture, adding that PONM, ARD and the MMA should play their role to save the country from collapse.

He said the government after sidelining democratic forces had assaulted the judiciary and now the media was the target, adding that the motive of the autocratic ruler was to suppress the voices of the people.

Referring to the killing of innocent people in Waziristan and Bajuar, firing incidents in Tank, bomb blasts in Peshawar and Charsadda and organised attacks on opposition activists in Karachi on May 12, the PONM leader warned that violence would lead to anarchy in the country. He alleged that religious extremists at the behest of intelligence agencies were targeting video shops and barber centres in Tank, Kohat and Mardan. He said peaceful Pakhtuns would not allow extremists to create havoc and harassment in the society.