July 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 26, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 29: The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) has threatened to hold a countrywide strike on Sept 1 if President Musharraf is not impeached and deposed judges are not reinstated by Aug 31.

Sources said that heads of parties in the APDM in their meeting on Monday could not reach a consensus on a number of issues, including Taliban’s activities in tribal areas and nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, and decided to hold another round on Tuesday.

While the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, National Party (Hayee) and Labour Party proposed an outright condemnation of the burning of girls schools and attack on NGOs allegedly by the Taliban, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf and others wanted an end to the operation in tribal areas.

Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting on Tuesday, APDM convener Mehmood Khan Achakzai, PTI chairman Imran Khan, JI leader Liaqat Baloch and NP chief Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch said the alliance had rejected the so-called constitutional package and demanded restoration of the Constitution to the pre-Nov 3 position.

Mr Achakzai said that PML-N and ANP should play their role in restoration of deposed judges.

The alliance leaders called for an immediate end to military operation in Balochistan and tribal areas and recovery of missing people.

They said the government should take steps to overcome electricity, flour, petroleum, fertiliser and gas shortages and withdraw a decision to increase railway fares.

They said that all national issues should be discussed in parliament and there should be no interference of the US and other countries in the country’s internal affairs.

The leaders also called for an end to army and intelligence agencies’ interference in politics and demanded provincial autonomy.