LAHORE: PML-Q Secretary-General Mushahid Husain Syed has demanded that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani should seek resignation from the ministers who have benefited from the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

Talking to the media after condoling the death of PML-N foreign affairs coordinator Muhammad Mahdi’s mother here on Sunday, he said the government and the premier would have to face increasing pressure of purging the power corridors of the elements who had plundered national wealth.

Mr Mahdi said the NRO would not be acceptable to his party at any cost. He also demanded immediate scrapping of the 17th amendment and lifting of the bar on running for a third term by a twice-elected prime minister.

Asked if it meant that the opposition would take to the street on the issue, Mushahid said circumstances did not allow street protest and the war on the NRO would now be fought in parliament, courts and media.

Recalling Mr Gilani’s bold decision of differing with Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s opinion and issuing production orders for Sheikh Rashid in the past as National Assembly speaker, he said the prime minister should keep in mind his noble caste and ‘do what a Syed should do’.

‘It’s a season for sacrifices. People are giving sacrifices in the shape of sugar scarcity, power loadshedding and facing terror incidents. The armed forces are giving sacrifices in Swat and Waziristan. The same spirit should be displayed by the political leadership to get rid of the plunderers.’

Saying it was he who had originally given the idea of national reconciliation in Senate in 2004, he regretted that the idea was misused by the then president, Gen Pervez Musharraf and Ms Bhutto for the sake of power game.

Asked if he wished trial of Musharraf for misuse of authority in promulgating the ordinance that brought the corrupt into power, he said the deal (reached between Musharraf and Zardari) included exit and exile of the former army chief.

He said devising a policy to counter terrorism should be the first priority in the present situation as those seeking Musharraf’s trial were likely to surrender on a phone call from Gulf and America.

He, however, said the (former French president) Chirac model could be followed for trying Asif Zardari. Mr Chirac faced some allegations of corruption as mayor of Paris. However, the cases were re-opened only after he evacuated the presidency.