ISLAMABAD, May 22: Secretary-General of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Raja Pervez Ashraf has said the option to resign from the parliament is open for the opposition members, if President Gen Pervez Musharraf tries to get himself re-elected from the present assemblies for the next term.

“Yes, the opposition can use this option (of resigning from the assemblies) with consensus of all parties,” the PPP secretary-general said in response to a question at a press conference here on Monday.

Mr Ashraf expressed the hope that the Charter of Democracy, signed by two former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London on May 14 would help eliminate army’s role in the country’s politics. He said the charter was not only in the interest of the people of Pakistan, but also in the interest of the armed forces.

Mr Ashraf said in the 21st century, military rule had become a “curse” and it was not welcomed in any part of the world. He said restoration of complete and genuine democracy and sovereignty of the parliament was the only solution to the country’s problems. He said the Charter of Democracy would empower the people in real terms. The PPP secretary-general said the charter had brought a ray of hope for the people of Pakistan, who had been facing great hardships under the present regime.

Our reporter adds: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab Information Secretary Farzana Raja has said the charter of democracy had sent waves of panic among the rulers.

In a statement issued here, Ms Raja said the regime was looking for a way to escape following the signing of the charter between the two former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.

She said it was the result of regime’s nervousness that they had withdrawn the facilities provided to political prisoners Yousaf Raza Gilani and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.

Condemning the act, she said the regime’s decision amounted to contempt of court. She pointed out that the court had allowed computer for Yousaf Raza Gilani and jail superintendent had no authority to negate the facility.