LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami general-secretary Liaquat Baloch has said the intransigence of those demanding resignations and those rejecting the demand should not end up in the demise of democracy and the constitution.

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, Mr Baloch said the entire nation was deeply concerned at the persisting political crisis and wanted its quick and peaceful solution.

He said on the instructions of party emir Sirajul Haq, he had contacted important leaders, including Syed Khurshid Shah, Aitzaz Ahsan, Hasil Bizenjo, Mehmud Khan Achakzai, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and Asma Jehangir, and they all had stressed on resolving the present crisis in the national spirit and in accordance with the Constitution.

He said if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif tendered resignations voluntarily, nobody would object to it, but their act like this under the pressure of protest won’t be a healthy tradition.

Replying to a question, he said that Article 245 of the Constitution had been invoked in the federal capital under which the protection of the red zone and state buildings therein was the responsibility of the army. However, the armed forces had no right to take any unconstitutional step.

Mr Baloch said the peaceful Azadi and Inqilab marches had turned violent under a well thought-out plan.

He said the government’s strategy and efforts of all political parties to resolve the crisis through dialogue had been jeopardized.

“A brutal force is being used against the men, women and children and the media men have also not been spared, which is the most condemnable act.”

He said the Jamaat had been supporting the demands of the PTI and PAT and had been trying hard that the talks should succeed. However, it appeared that the situation was heading towards an operation.

In the present situation, he said, when the armed forces were involved in operation in North Waziristan, the army take over would be disastrous for the national security. TI: The Tehreek-i-Istiqlal has condemned the use of force against PTI and PAT workers, terming it against the promise given by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, party president Rehmat Khan Wardag said the government used brutal police force against activists of the PTI and PAT although the prime minister had assured the nation contrary to the act.

Seeing worsening of the situation as a result of the police action, he demanded that Mr Sharif should immediately convene a roundtable conference to avoid further bloodshed in the country.

The conference, he said, should announce setting up of a national government for holding mid-term elections within 90 days.

He said the mid-term polls had become inevitable and a delay in this respect would only complicate the situation and the responsibility for all ensuing negative consequences would lay with the government.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2014