HARIPUR, Dec 3: Former NWFP Assembly speaker Habibullah Khan Tareen on Tuesday criticized the detention of Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.

“The government has booked a political leader on treason charges just for releasing to the press a letter allegedly written by some army officials, while those who lost wars and a part of the country were not even questioned,” he said while talking to newsmen.

He said Mr Hashmi’s arrest was a move to suppress the voice of dissent.

He said the ban on militant organizations was a part of the government’s policy to appease the United States.

He said there would be no democracy in the country if the Legal Framework Order was accepted as a part of the Constitution.

He criticized the assemblies for their failure to do legislation.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the federal government and said none of the major development projects announced for Haripur had so far been approved.

He termed the delimitation of constituencies faulty and demanded an additional constituency of the National Assembly for Haripur.