LARKANA, Sept 13: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal president and Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed has said that the root cause of problems being faced by the country is the rule of army and bureaucracy.

He said assemblies have lost their importance and opposition legislators would resign from them after getting resignation from General Pervez Musharraf.

He was speaking at a press conference at the Jamaat Larkana office on Tuesday.

He said the MMA had turned down offer of deputy prime minister, four key ministries and share in all four provincial governments.

He said it supported the 17th amendment on the promise that General Musharraf would shed his uniform on December 31 but he did not do so and violated the accord reached with him.

He said the MMA wanted the 1973 Constitution restored as it was before the military take-over of October 12, 1999.

He defended MMA’s alliance with the government for the approval of 17th amendment and said: “The amendment exposed General Musharraf further as an unconstitutional and illegitimate president.”

The Jamaat Amir said the judiciary did not exist in the country and, therefore, there was no point in talking about its independence.

He said people stand deprived of basic rights and poverty and unemployment was the order of the day.

He said the rulers had fully deviated from the Constitution which was Islamic, federal, democratic and protected rights of people including minorities and women.

He said it guaranteed provincial autonomy which was necessary for stability of the country.

He said the capitalist system was flourishing in the country and plundering and loot had roots in the society.

He said Kashmir had been bargained and the government was to accept Israel which was a deviation from the basic policy.

He said Pakistan had in reality recognized Israel and the talks were being held for furthering ties in the field of trade.

He said General Pervez Musharraf had taken the decision of recognizing Israel in Camp David and now was looking for an opportunity to open it.

He said the powers of the local government system had been snatched from provinces and given to the centre in the name of devolution of power to the grassroots level.

Instead of going for decentralization, the rulers had over-centralised, the power and authority.

At present all powers were with the president, he said.

Regarding construction of the Kalabagh dam, he said no project of national importance and interest be started without consensus among the provinces.

He said Benazir Bhutto could become the prime minister for a third term in accordance with the 1973 Constitution.

Qazi Hussain said the NLC had agreed on a joint struggle to bring about a democratic society.

He said the joint struggle had started from Friday’s strike.

When asked that the MMA was sitting with the PPP that had a tilt towards pro-American policies, Qazi replied that the ARD and the MMA had agreed over three point agenda and nothing else.

He said the three point agenda include removal of General Pervez Musharraf, restoration of the 1973’s Constitution and setting up of an independent election commission.

He demanded that lecturers who had passed public service commission in Sindh and Sui gas employees restored by the Supreme Court be reinstated.

He visited house of late Maulana Jan Mohammad Abbasi and offered condolence over demise of his wife with his sons Qurban Ali Abbasi, Badaruddin Abbasi, Qamaruddin Abbasi, Shamsuddin Abbasi and other relatives.