RAWALPINDI, Sept 9: The opposition has termed Friday’s strike a success while the government has contested the former’s claim and called it a total failure. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, acting PML-N parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said the nation responded well to the strike call.

He said all opposition parties were united, and they would continue their protest till their objective of restoration of constitutional rule in the country was achieved.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also has termed the strike a success.

Commenting on the strike call of the joint opposition, he said people had responded positively.

Talking to reporters, he said positive response of the masses to the call proved that people had no confidence on the rulers.

He said price hike and lawlessness had made people’s life miserable. He said opposition as well as the entire nation was united against the government on the issue of price hike.

The district Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami and MMA leader Dr Mohammed Kamal said by observing complete strike, people had rejected the wrong policies of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He criticized the government for accepting the hegemony of Israel, India, President George W. Bush and anti-Muslim elements.

He urged the rulers to confess their failure and quit the government otherwise they would not be able to face the wrath of the masses. The joint opposition was determined to further accelerate its protest movement, he added.

Media coordinator for the strike and PPP women wing president Nargis Faiz Malik said people who were affected by poverty and unemployment, and those who were against the government’s policies had fully backed the strike call. She said only the rich, who enjoyed luxuries of life, did not participate in the countrywide protest.

Ms Malik said Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry had been convinced by Minister of State for Interior Dr Shahzad Waseem not to observe strike. Even then majority of the traders observed strike, she added.

The PPP leader said the opposition would continue giving calls for strikes. “We would continue our protest movement till the removal of Gen Pervez Musharraf from both his offices,” she said.—Agencies

Our Reporter adds: On the other hand, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said people’s lack of interest to the opposition’s strike call demonstrated that they had rejected politics of agitation and confrontation.

Mr Aziz was talking to a group of parliamentarians who called on him on Friday, says a press release.

People are mature enough to understand the selfish designs of the disgruntled politicians who only wanted to disrupt and hinder the massive programme of development initiated by the government for the welfare of the people, he said.

The government would continue its efforts for speedy development of the country and improving quality of life of the people, he added.

The prime minister specifically talked about the fast track development programmes initiated in health, education, telecom and infrastructure sectors.

The meeting was attended by ministers and representatives of the parliament.

Staff Reporter adds: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday described the joint opposition’s strike call as a flop show.

“Life was as usual throughout the day in the entire country and not a single school, college, business or industrial concern was shut except those shops which usually close on Fridays,” Sheikh Rashid told reporters here at the PID auditorium.

Entire campaign of the opposition parties run through media to make Friday’s wheeljam successful was a complete collapse as they failed to convince transporters even in the NWFP to keep their buses and trucks away from the roads, the minister said.

He, however, assured the opposition that the doors of the government were open and it would welcome any kind of positive moves from them.

Sherpao: Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has termed the opposition’s country-wide strike “a failed show”.

Talking to reporters after distributing certificates among participants of a course on elimination of drugs and crimes jointly conducted by the UN and the government of Denmark at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) headquarters, the minister said people were against the politics of agitation and had rejected the opposition by not responding to its strike call.