JACOBABAD, Feb 24: The secretary general of the Communist Party of Pakistan, Comrade Khadim Thaheem, said on Sunday that army should be kept away from politics and the centre of power should be shifted from the GHQ to parliament.

He said at a press conference that unless the parliament was empowered there would be no change in the country. Pervez Musharraf was the most unpopular president in the country’s 60-year history who had tried to manipulate people’s will, he remarked.

He said that the genuine democracy could be restored only through people’s struggle. America itself was behind Talbanization, fundamentalism and unpopular forces in Pakistan, he said.

Mr Khadim urged the working class to come forward and struggle for the independence of judiciary and empowerment of parliament. “The outdated constitution is an obstacle to reforms,” he said.

He said that the All-Parties Democratic Movement was implementing the agenda of the establishment. PML-Q, PML-N and PPP should forge an alliance to empower parliament and address people’s problems.

He said that people had given mandate to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and made it the second largest party in the Sindh province. The party should, therefore, seriously rethink its attitude toward Sindhis, he said.

He condemned the caretaker government for seizing powers of taluka nazim of Jacobabad and arresting the employees of taluka municipal administration including Hassan Solangi, Hasnain Pathan.

He termed the government’s action as illegal and demanded withdrawal of cases against the arrested employees. He urged the multinational companies to stop sacking employees and stressed the government denationalise public enterprises.

Mr Khadim announced that a peaceful movement would be launched to protect people’s mandate and uphold sanctity of votes.

Aslam Bangulzai, Rauf Korai, Aslam Odhano, G. M. Mastoi and other members of the CPP were present.