August 15, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 12, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 14: Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed, the retired Supreme Court judge who challenged General Pervez Musharraf in the controversial presidential election, has said that “Musharraf had imposed a second martial law on November 3, 2007 by declaring emergency and deposing 63 judges.”

Speaking at a function organised by a literary society in Gulshan-i-Maymar, he described the general’s act as “sheer injustice” and said the country could not be put on the road to progress and prosperity unless the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution returned to the country.

Justice Wajihuddin said that all those who ruled over the country and mercilessly plundered the nation’s wealth should be held accountable.

“Karachi is the hub of the country’s economic activities but conspiracies are being hatched at the international level to destroy peace in the city with the aim of undermining the country’s economy,” he observed. He condemned plunderers of the national resources, and remarked: “Those who were living in small houses have become billionaires overnight.”

Former MPA Yunus Barai and JI Gadap chief also spoke.

Mr Barai observed that the country was in the grip of various crises while the nation was being divided on different grounds. He criticised the rulers for acting upon Washington’s dictation and handing innocent Pakistanis, including Dr Aafia Siddiqui, to US agencies.

The JI leaders warned that the rulers, who had turned the country into a US colony, would not be forgiven by the nation.—PPI