HYDERABAD, Feb 8: Leaders of the All Pakistan Democratic Movement (APDM) have said that a silent revolution has started in the country, adding that the APDM will launch a civil disobedience movement to oust the rulers.

They said Pakistan is governed by ‘a permanent martial law body’ in the shape of the National Security Council (NSC) and urged the chief of the army staff to dissociate himself from the council.

They were speaking at a public meeting at SRTC Ground here on Friday to mobilise public for the boycott of Feb 18 elections.

Addressing the rally, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed said that the constitution of 1973 contains a contract that says that the army would not interfere in politics but President Pervez Musharraf has violated this pact.

He said if the new COAS is committed to his job then he should announce boycott of the NSC because the president does not have the support of people and cannot hold this august office.

He said the Election Commission must gain trust of people and an interim government should be set up after consultation with all political parties.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed said that in the present situation the elections would only perpetuate the role of civil and military bureaucracy and no political party would be able to run the government in the presence of President Musharraf.

Addressing the meeting, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that the country is facing great dangers and is governed by a ‘permanent martial law body’ in the shape of National Security Council.

He said that 70 per cent of the superior court’s judges were sacked for their refusal to take oath under the PCO, and media was gagged so that it couldn’t speak a truth.

“We want to tell the general that no external force can cause harm to us if we set our own house in order and a judicious system is enforced for 160 million strong souls,” Achakzai said while referring to a speech of President Pervez Musharraf in Belgium where he told the European countries that Pakistani people are obsessed with democracy although they did not know its meaning.

He warned of a civil war in the country if the system based on equity and justice is not enforced.

He said that the APDM demands an end to the role of intelligence agencies and army in politics, supremacy of the constitution and parliament, rule of law, independence of judiciary and peoples’ right over their resources.

Mr Achakzai said: “The government comprises of corrupt politicians who have abrogated the Constitution and got innocent people killed on May 12, 2007, in Karachi who were there to welcome the deposed chief justice of the country.

He held the government responsible for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

He urged soldiers and police to not to obey “illegal directives of the government”.

“If you (soldiers and policemen) obey these illegal orders you will be violating the constitution,” he said.

Mr Achakzai said that the APDM would launch a movement for civil disobedience to oust the rulers.

He claimed that the federation was facing danger at the hands agencies.

Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palijo said that people want democracy and an end to military rule so that they could raise their head in comity of nations.

Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party chief Dr Qadir Magsi condemned the ban on the entry of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf leader Imran Khan in Sindh and demanded removal of the Sindh governor, arguing that governors of the three other provinces have been changed

National Party chief Dr Hayee Baloch said that Sindh and Balochistan are faced with similar crises as their people have no right over their resources and doors for employment have been shut on them.

Abdul Majeed Kanju of Siraiki Party, Khaksar Tahreek’s Abdul Hameed Mashraqi and others spoke on the occasion.