PESHAWAR, June 27: The Peoples’ Party Parliamentarians has welcomed MMA’s call to launch a movement against the ‘illegitimate rule’ of President General Pervez Musharraf.

“We welcome the protest call given by the MMA. The PPP wants to strengthen democratic institutions in the country to permanently halt the army’s intervention in country’s politics,” said PPP provincial president Rahimdad Khan while addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday. Former district Nazim Mohammad Azam Khan Afridi and PPP leader Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil were also present.

On the occasion Nazim Pishtakhara Union Council Mohammad Ijaz Khan Khalil announced his decision to join the PPP.

Mr Khan said that the Charter of Democracy was a document which, if followed in letter and spirit by all political parties, would permanently stop army’s role in politics.

The country, he said, was passing through critical times and facing a situation of uncertainty which could hit its integration.

“That’s why the PPP has openly urged real political forces to forge unity,” he said.

“Dictators have ruined the country in the past. People should support the PPP as its leaders have rendered sacrifices for the integrity and solidarity of the country,” Mr Khan added.

PPP’s senior vice president Syed Qamar Abbas said that frequent interventions by the army had played havoc with the country’s political culture and weakened political parties. He said only strengthening of democratic institutions could save the country.

Nazim Pishtakhara Union Council Ijaz Khan Khalil said that he had quit the PPP-Sherpao because it had been restricted to one district only. “We tried our level best to make PPP-Sherpao a national-level political party but all such efforts failed,” he added.

“We decided to join the PPP because of its political history and sacrifices for democracy,” he said, adding that he had full confidence in Ms Benazir Bhutto.