ISLAMABAD, June 1: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has condemned the government for imposing curbs on the media and termed the decision to stop live television coverage of events related to the judicial crisis an attempt to suppress the truth.

Talking to mediapersons at a function organised by the party’s women wing in connection with the birthday celebrations of Benazir Bhutto here on Friday, PPP spokesman and former senator Farhatullah Khan Babar criticised Federal Minister for Information Mohammad Ali Durrani for using threatening tone against the media, saying it seemed that the rulers were totally confused over the present situation.

Paying tributes to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Mr Babar said he had shown a great courage by refusing to resign on the directives of army generals. He said the chief justice’s no to the generals had clearly drawn a battle line and now the people would have to decide once for all whether they wanted democracy or rule of a few generals in the country.

He said there was no writ of the government in any part of the country. He said the country was being run by small armed groups, which was evident from the fact that the government’s writ had been challenged by Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat Mohammadi in Swat, Taliban in Tank, nationalist elements in Balochistan and Lal Masjid and madressah students in Islamabad.

Speaking on the occasion, president of PPP women wing, Islamabad, Nargis Faiz Malik criticised the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal (MMA) for strengthening the rule of Gen Musharraf by supporting the government in the passage of the 17th constitutional amendment.

A Reporter adds: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will never abandon lawyers in their struggle for restoration of the chief justice (CJ), independence of judiciary and return of complete democracy in the country.

This was stated by PPP General Secretary Jehangir Badr while addressing the District Bar Association (DBA) here on Friday.