PESHAWAR, Feb 20: Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday urged the rulers to hand over power to an interim government, which should hold free and fair elections, and step down in the larger interest of the country’s security, integrity and solidarity.

They made these views at a seminar entitled, “Constitution, Judiciary and Political Rights,” organized by the Jamaat-i-Islami, NWFP, at the Markaz-i-Islami, GT Road.

Pakistan Muslim League secretary general Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Samiul Haq, National Awami Party chief Ajmal Khattak, Barrister Masood Kausar of the PPP, Maqsood Salfi of Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith, Shahbaz Gul of the Millat Party, Maulana Ataur Rehman of the JUI(F), Fateh Mohammad of Tanzeem-i- Islami and JI provincial chief Prof Mohammad Ibrahim spoke on the fate of constitution, political rights of the people and the role of the judiciary.

Through a resolution, the participants demanded the present government to restore the 1973 Constitution forthwith and refrain from making any amendment to it as the military rulers had no right to do so. Pakistan be made an Islamic state to achieve the objectives of the Pakistan Movement, it added.

The competent and fair people, who would not take part in the elections, be inducted into the interim government. The  elections should be held under the Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution on proportional representation basis.

The resolution also called for lifting of ban on religious and political parties, restoration of basic rights of the people and release of religious parties leaders.