QUETTA, May 15: Awami National Party leaders said at a public meeting in Zhob on Sunday that the country was facing serious constitutional and political problems. Speaking at the Zareef Shaheed Park on the fifth death anniversary of ANP leader Saleh Mohammed Khan Mandokhel, they held military rulers, who had denied democratic rights and autonomy to the provinces, responsible for instability in the country.

They said President Gen Pervez Musharraf was neither sincere about enlightenment moderation nor did he believe in true democratic rule.

ANP Deputy Secretary-General Afrasiab Khattak accused the president of creating problem for the country by promoting his favourites and sidelining the real political leadership that enjoyed the support of the masses.

He asserted that a democratic person who believed in moderation and tolerance would never act against the political forces which had rendered sacrifices for constitutional rule, supremacy of parliament and the fundamental rights of the citizens.

He said the rulers’ policy of victimization to suppress the voices of their opponents would weaken the political and democratic institutions, which was not in the interest of the nation.

Mr Khattak lamented that the usurpers had denied political autonomy to Pukhtuns and other oppressed nationalities. He said looting of the resources of the deprived provinces by the exploiters was the root cause disharmony between the centre and the smaller nationalities.

He said the establishment had trained Arab mujahideen for interference in Afghanistan but now innocent Pukhtuns were punished for giving shelter to them.