KARACHI, Sept 9: The Pakistan Peoples’ Party has reiterated the demand to establish a parliamentary commission to investigate the Kargil debacle and make its report public, as the nation has the right to know.

This demand was reiterated by PPP Deputy Secretary General and Senator Mian Raza Rabbani while addressing a press conference on Tuesday in the chamber of the leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly building.

He said, “After failure of the government to blackmail the party and its leadership Benazir Bhutto in the name of Swiss judgment, the government had once again raised the Indian bogey through media trial.

If they talk about trial of Benazir Bhutto for violation of the Official Secret Act by disclosing the briefing of Gen Musharraf to an Indian journalist, he said that the party was prepared to face the fact rather compromising on democratic principles and restoration of democracy.

Senator Rabbani, who was flanked by the party leaders Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Rashid Rabbani and some PPP MPAs, said that if the government used such pressure tactics, the issue would go a long way.

He said that Gen Musharraf’s admission of stopping cross border terrorism itself fell in the line of violation of the Official Secret Act.

He recalled that the Kargil issue was an open secret, as former prime minister, without naming Nawaz Sharif, had stated that in the Kargil action over 4,000 sons of soil had lost their life, which was contrary to the government position.

“The party is reviewing the entire matter, as this is the right of people to know about the Kargil issue,” he said. He further said that Charlie Wilson, a US Congress man, in his book “Charlie Wilson’s private war” had talked about Gen Zia’s contacts with Israel to buy weapons. “How did it happen when Pakistan had not recognized Israel?” he remarked.

Moreover, Mr Rabbani asked, “Who had permitted a Pakistani journalist to visit Israel and why he went there?”

He said if the Official Secret Act was used against Benazir Bhutto, many such issues would be opened up.

He said that the PPP was also reviewing legal status of the assembly members and cabinet ministers, who had taken dual oath for protecting the Constitution, but they were violating the Constitution.

He explained that the government was violating clause-3 of article-56 of the Constitution, according to which the parliamentary year begins with the address of the President and despite over the lapse of eight months the President had yet to address the Parliament.

Mr Rabbani said that even after the election of 100 members of the Senate in March last, the government had failed to decide which half of th members stand retired after three years and which after six years. He added that this was mere violation of the article-59 of section-3 of the Constitution.

Another violation of article-153 of the Constitution was pointed out by Syed Qaim Ali Shah about non-constitution of the Council of Common Interest (CCI). Similarly, he said, that the non-existence of the National Finance Commission (NFC) was violation of the article-160.

He said that this showed that ministers and the cabinet were wilfully violating the Constitution.

Mr Rabbani also took notice of the party deserters, who had switched over to the treasury side for the sake of ministry and to avoid facing the cases in the NAB. He advised them not to use unparliamentary language and remember that they had to return to the electorate, who would take them to task.

Leader of the Opposition, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, said that the government was using tactics of poisonous media trial against popular leadership to create political vacuum and trampling of democratic principles as the government wanted to remain in power.

Mr Nisar pointed out that despite media trial of the PPP and its leadership in general election, the mandate of people showed that the PPP was the popular party that bagged the highest number of votes. However, the party was denied the right to form the government through manipulation.