LAHORE, Nov 21: The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) will boycott the January 8 elections and launch a movement against Gen Pervez Musharraf if the Pakistan People’s Party takes a similar decision.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed, president of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, which is a component of the APDM, on Wednesday talked to PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim and stressed that a joint decision needed to be taken by all anti-Musharraf parties which think that the present set-up is unconstitutional and must be thrown out.
The MMA chief told Mr Fahim that the APDM would be willing to attend a multi-party conference (MPC) at a ‘neutral place’ if Benazir Bhutto supported ‘in unambiguous terms’ the demand for restoration of all judges of the superior courts deposed under the Provisional Constitution Order.
Mr Fahim told the MMA chief that he would contact him after consultation with Ms Bhutto.
A PPP leader said a decision by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) to contest the polls had put the PPP in a difficult position. “If the JUI (F) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement decide to take part in the elections, it will be very difficult for the PPP to stay away,” he said.
The PPP leader said that while the clock was ticking, PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif was not realising the gravity of the situation. The MPC scheduled for Nov 21 at Bilawal House in Karachi could not be held because of the negative attitude of the exiled PML (N) leader, he said.He said that for the time being, the PPP was keeping its options with regard to the elections open.
A meeting of the MMA’s Supreme Council is due in Islamabad on Thursday to take a decision on the election issue.
Qazi Hussain called on JUI (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday and exchanged views with him on the current situation and Thursday’s meeting of the alliance.
Maulana Fazl has already declared that he is in favour of taking part in the elections, even though they are being held under the PCO.
Qazi Hussain said that although the JUI (F) chief was not in favour of leaving the field open to rivals, he would eventually follow the MMA decision.
He expressed the hope that Maulana Fazl would explain his position to other parties of the religious alliance in Thursday’s meeting.
He said that the MMA meeting would be followed by a meeting of heads of parties in the APDM to be held to take a joint decision.
Qazi Hussain, who is also Amir of the Jamaat-i-Islami, has asked his party members not to submit nomination papers for any seat till Nov 25: the last but one day set by the Election Commission for the purpose.
The MMA president said that if the APDM took part in the elections, the MMA, PML (N) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf would enter into a seat-adjustment accord.
A similar arrangement would be worked out with other parties, he added.
