KARACHI, June 1: A grand alliance is needed to steer the country out of the current crisis. This will not be an electoral alliance, but one to get rid of army rule and restore democracy in the country.

This was the consensus of speakers at an multi-party conference held here on Thursday at the Idara Noor-i-Haq on the subject: “Attack on journalism after the judiciary — murder of human rights in Pakistan.”

The MPC, which was presided over by Jamaat-i-Islami deputy chief Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, was addressed by Salim Zia of the PML-N, Zubair Khan of the Tehrik-i-Insaf, Siddique Rathor of the JUP, Allama Jafar Subhani of the Islami Tehrik, Mairajul Huda of the JI, Mobin Qadri of the Sunni Tehrik, Basharat Mirza of the PDP, Syed Zia Abbas of the NPP, Ramzan Buledi of the SNP and Amanullah Khan of the PML-Qayyum.

The speakers paid tribute to the journalistic fraternity for their sacrifices for the freedom of the press, especially now as the shadow of Kalashnikovs loomed large over them.

They advised the PPP chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, not to be an obstacle in the unity of the opposition as no force other than the people could restore her to power. They said that no one could divert the judiciary and the journalists from the path they were pursuing.

Expressing their gratitude to the journalists for their courage in telecasting the events as they occured on May 12 at considerable risk of their lives, the speakers said this act had become a crime in the eyes of the rulers.

Prof Ghafoor said that if the army was in power then not only the institutions of the state but the army itself earned a bad name. The statement made before the Supreme Court under oath by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry should be an eye-opener for everyone and if the rulers had any self-respect, they ought to resign

Salim Zia said those who wanted to harass journalists were cowards. By sending bullets they could not create frighten the journalists. He said that since MQM had entered politics, the element of violence had increased and killing and plunder had become routine.

Zubair Khan said that stopping Imran Khan from filing a case in Britain was a condemnable act, while Dr Mairajul Huda said that the government did not take any notice of the press release of the Mohajir Rabita Council, which was issued from Nine Zero (the MQM’s headquarters) on May 22 in which 13 journalists were described as “enemies of Mohajirs” and a few days later, some one sent them bullets contained in envelopes.