ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has asked party office- bearers and workers to get ready for launching a decisive anti- government movement within six weeks time.

Speaking at the General Council meeting of the party by telephone from Dubai here on Wednesday after the election of the PML-N central office-bearers, he said the time had come for the masses to come out in streets to get rid of the present military rulers.

“If our experiences have shown that military rule is poisonous for our national integration and unity then it is the fundamental duty of every patriotic Pakistani to stand up and speak for the democratic ideals of Quaid-i-Azam,” he said, adding: “Now it must be decided for all times whether it is the right of 160 million people to rule the country or some usurper holding gun. The issue is whether Pakistan becomes a garrison state or an Islamic democratic republic?”

Mr Sharif asked the party workers to spread in every nook and corner of the country with this message and mobilise people for this struggle. He said the no-confidence motion against the rulers was also a part of this movement.

“When the no-trust motion will be filed, you will see how it will expose the present rulers, whose nerves are already wrecked by its sheer announcement,” he said.

The PML-N chief said that progress towards formation of a grand alliance of opposition parties was taking place. He expressed his thanks to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) for extending its support for no-confidence motion.

Mr Sharif said it was their earnest desire that all opposition parties joined hands to achieve the objectives of the charter of democracy, signed by the ARD parties. “When fair and free elections will be guaranteed under a neutral caretaker government and an independent and effective election commission then we will all be in the court of the people. Their decision will be acceptable to all. To achieve this objective, unity in the ranks of opposition parties in paramount,” he said.

He said the charter of democracy was the first political document in the history that clearly declared that there would be no deal with the unconstitutional rulers.

“We have had enough of power-based politics, it is now time for values based politics. Till full 1973 constitution is restored, and all state institutions don’t bow before the constitution, Pakistan can neither prosper nor become strong,” he said.

Mr Sharif said the basic idea of the charter was that military should stay out of politics and should return to the people their right to choose their representatives. He said that keeping in view the regional developments and past experiences, Pakistan surely needed a strong and professional military.

However, he said, their fight was with that tiny minority in the armed forces, which used military to fulfil its personal political ambitions, whose guns instead of pointing towards enemy aimed at their own countrymen and their prime ministers.

The PML-N leader said this “gang of two, four or six generals” didn’t represent the armed forces of Pakistan. “This gang subverts constitution, derails democracy, and undermines peoples’ sovereignty. It destroys military’s professionalism and its reputation. We want professional generals not property dealers. It is pitiful that the military’s uniform has become a symbol of ridicule in the political debate. Who is responsible for this?” he asked. He said time had come for the political generals to free the nation from their ambitions and let Pakistani nation march into the 21st century with dignity as a democratic society.

Ruling out the possibility of striking any deal with the rulers, Mr Sharif said that he considered even holding talks with the military generals a great sin.

The PML-N chief asked the office-bearers to organise conventions at divisional level to mobilise masses in the next six weeks. He also asked the members of the provincial and federal parliamentary boards to finalise their recommendations by August 15.