KARACHI, Sept 9: The leaders of joint opposition expressing gratitude to public said that Friday’s successful and peaceful strike in the city and elsewhere in the country was a manifestation of vote of no-confidence by the people against the government.

“This was high time for the government to take stock of the situation and concede to the three point charter of the joint opposition: hold polls under an independent election commission, revive the Constitution to the position of Oct 12, 1999 and Pervez Musharraf should resign from both the offices of president and army chief.”

These views were expressed by leaders of the joint opposition led by Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmad at a joint press conference here on Friday. Also present were PPP Sindh Secretary General Nafees Ahmad Siddiqui, PML-N Sindh chief organizer Mamnoon Hussain, Shahi Syed of Awami National Party, Zubair Khan of Tehreek-i-Insaaf, Zain Ansari of MRD, Basharat Mirza of PDP, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid of JUI-F and Mufti Usmanyar Khan of JUI-S, Muhammad Hussain Mehanti and Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui of JI.

Referring to the past practices of strike call of the MQM when on the eve and the day of strike vehicles used to be burnt and public properties damaged, Prof Ghafoor said that the peaceful strikes on the call of opposition was a departure from the MQM culture.

The JI leader expressed gratitude to the traders’ community, transporters and other organizations for responding to the call despite pressure from the government. He said that the autocratic and undemocratic attitude of the government had forced the opposition and people to protest against its policies.

He referred to the statement of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz that the opposition should discuss issues in the parliament instead of resorting to strikes and asked him if he could give any example in the last three years when the government had taken the parliament into confidence before taking any decision.

He said in the National Security Council meeting held on Thursday the emphasis of Gen Musharraf was on eliminating terrorism, extremism and sectarianism from the country. By this what message the president wanted to convey to the world — as if Pakistan was a country of terrorists and extremists. He said in the NSC meeting no pressing issue was discussed as if poverty, price-hike, unemployment and lawlessness were not important at all.

To a question, Prof Ghafoor said that they would resign from the assemblies when time would come.

PPP Sindh Secretary General Nafees Siddiqui said that according to his party’s reports complete strike was observed in the interior of Sindh.

The big response in support of the strike call was proof that people were fed up with the present rulers and were prepared to launch struggle to solve their problems.

Mr Siddiqui said that the new government which would be formed after fresh elections under an independent election commission would declare the local government elections null and void and hold fresh elections.

PML-N Sindh chief organizer Mamnoon Hussain said that that there was no justification for Gen Musharraf to hold two offices. People were fed up with the prevailing situation. The government should set up independent election commission to hold fresh polls in the country, he said.