HYDERABAD, Feb 25: General-secretary of the Sindh chapter of Jamiat Ulemai-i-Pakistan, Mohammad Hashim Siddiqui, has said the government should be removed and an impartial interim government comprising clean political and patriotic elements should be appointed for holding fair and transparent elections and restoration of genuine democracy in the country.

He told a news conference here on Sunday that the holding of fair and impartial elections under the supervision of Gen Pervez Musharraf was not possible.

He said that governments of generals had always harmed interests of the country and it was during their rule that nationalist and ethnic parties sprouted up in the country. He held the ethic and nationalist parties responsible for street crimes.

He regretted that the Muslim rulers and the Organisation of Islamic Countries had not performed their due role on the issue of Masjid-i-Aqsa.

He said Basant celebrations and kite flying on the pretext of enlightenment was a flagrant violation of the Supreme Court orders. He criticised the government for its failure to check price hike of consumer goods.

Meanwhile, the Majlis-i-Shura of the JUP, Sindh, at its meeting here on Sunday, criticised the new rules adopted by the National Assembly under which the assembly members could not criticize the president, armed forces and judiciary.

The meeting also condemned the Basant celebrations and kite flying in violation of Supreme Court orders. It said that it was even otherwise in a bad taste as Pakistan was still receiving the bodies of Samjhota Express tragedy victims.

The meeting condemned the arrest of the vice-president of the JUP and member of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal supreme council, Allama Shabbir Ahmed Hashmi, and demanded his immediate release.