LAHORE, April 21: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) has asked government employees to refrain from becoming part of the ‘unconstitutional and illegal’ referendum.

In an open letter to the government employees, ARD’s Central Deputy Information Secretary Munir Ahmad Khan said otherwise they may face serious troubles in the next political government.

He specially asked federal and provincial secretaries and police authorities to stop misusing their influence and spending from the national exchequer for the success of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The government functionaries should stop pressurizing people, through SHOs and patwaris, for casting their votes in the referendum because the Constitution had no room for it, the letter said.

The government servants had taken oath to be loyal to the country and protect and implement the 1973 Constitution. “They did not take oath to protect any individual.”

The ARD did not believe in political victimization, however, if somebody tried to become a personal servant of Gen Musharraf and spend public money for him, he would not only lose his job but also pay the wasted amount from his own pocket, it added.