November 22, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 11, 1428

HYDERABAD, Nov 21: Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party Chairman Dr Qadir Magsi on Wednesday urged all the political parties of the country to boycott upcoming general elections, arguing that the caretaker set-up under Gen Pervez Musharraf was technically unable to hold free, fair, impartial and transparent elections.

Mr Magsi said at a news conference at Taraqqi Pasand House that the announcement of general elections was part of a pre-planned drama aimed at providing legitimacy to the election of Gen Musharraf as president for another five-year term.

He condemned what he called the murder of Balach Mari, son of Baloch Sardar Khair Bux Mari in bombardment and announced his party would observe one-day mourning.

He urged the component parties of All-Pakistan Democratic Movement and the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy to take a unanimous decision on the election issue and help rid the country of nexus of dictators and agencies that had ruled the country for much of the time and reduced the parliaments to mere rubber stamps.

He said that the speech delivered by Gen Musharraf on Nov 3 was much the same as he had in 1999 after his coup de tat. The only difference was that lawlessness, unemployment and terrorism had increased manifold since then, he remarked.

Mr Magsi said that if Musharraf had even an iota of political acumen he should accept his responsibility for the crisis confronting the country and resign.

He said that Gen Musharraf and his cronies would be made accountable when a democratic government came to power and called upon international community to change their stance with regard to Gen Musharraf.

Mr Magsi explained in response to a question that in his personal opinion, all the parties should boycott elections but his party, which was also a part of APDM and PONM would abide by their decisions.