Jamali's resignation shocks Qazi

Published June 27, 2004

NOWSHERA, June 26: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's Central president Qazi Hussain Ahmad has expressed his shock over surprising resignation of Prime Minister Mir Zafarulah Khan Jamali.

Speaking at a Press conference at his residence on Saturday, Qazi Hussain said that the sudden resignation of Mr Jamali had proved that Parliament had no value and President Musharraf wanted to consolidate his authoritarian rule in the country.

"Mr Jamali's resignation will further destabilise the system and can lead the country to political crisis," he said.

He maintained that the establishment was already conspiring against the prime minister to destabilise his government.

He vowed that the MMA would soon call an all-parties conference in which all major political parties, including Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy and the ruling PML, would be invited.

The JI chief criticised the ban on his entry in Karachi by the Sind government, saying he would lead the scheduled peace march in the troubled city. He said that the peace rally was being organised to promote harmony among the people of Karachi.

He also invited former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and MQM chief Altaf Hussain to come back to their country.

He said Sind Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim had requested him to call off his peace rally in Karachi but he turned down his request.

He warned that if Gen Musharraf did not take off his military uniform by December next the MMA would launch a country-wide movement.

Qazi Hussain ruled out the imposition of governor's rule in the NWFP and warned that repercussions would be fatal if an elected government was booted out in the province.

He defended the non-participation of NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani in the National Security Council meeting and said that Mr Durrani was the MMA representative and not a government employee.

He said President Musharraf could not take any action against the NWFP chief minister.

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