August 14, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 11, 1429

QUETTA, Aug 13: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai has said that the PPP-led coalition government must complete the process of impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf as soon as possible in order to remove the ‘illegal president’.

Speaking at a function at Muslim Ittehad Colony on Wednesday, he said the coalition government had taken correct decision to impeach the president.

He held President Musharraf responsible for the constitutional, political and judicial crises in the country and maintained that it was the responsibility of the coalition government to remove the “illegal acts of the unlawful ruler”.

Mr Achakzai, who is also convener of the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), stressed that the government should reinstate deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, and restore the Nov 2 judiciary.

He said the denial of rights to Pakhtuns, Balochs, Sindhis and Seraikis had confronted the nation with political and constitutional crisis.

He said that Pakistan was a “multi-nation state comprising five nationalities” and good relations between the federation and the provinces depend on the recognition of equal rights of the federating units.

Condemning the military operation in Balochistan and tribal areas, Mr Achakzai said no political issue could be settled through use of state power, urging the government to initiate dialogue with militants.