ISLAMABAD, April 30: The Pakistan People’s Party has saluted the democratic and valiant people of Pakistan for boycotting, what it called, the comical referendum, on Tuesday.

A PPP spokesman in a statement issued on Tuesday said: “The Pakistan People’s Party salutes the valiant and democracy-loving people of Pakistan for their enthusiastic response to the boycott call by the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and the PPP and abstaining from the comical referendum today.

“According to credible estimates the turnout throughout the country has been less than five per cent. In Sindh it has been far less, a hopeless 2 per cent.

“This abysmally low turnout of voters despite the indiscriminate use of state machinery, resources, and massive manipulation by use of inducements and coercion and pre- referendum arrests of anti-regime activists is a ringing vote in favour of democracy and a stinging statement of no confidence in Gen Musharraf and his junta.

“Tuesday April 30, will be remembered as a watershed mark in the history of political evolution of Pakistan. Today, the people have spoken, as clearly and loudly as never before, to the lasting embarrassment of dictators anywhere that they reject dictatorship and will not accept anything less than democracy and constitutional rule.’’