KARACHI, Oct 12: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, Sindh chapter, leaders and workers observed black day in Karachi like other parts of the country on Tuesday by wearing black arm bands to protest against over throw of the elected government on Oct 12, 1999.

The leaders demanded restoration of undiluted democracy to save the country from looming crises which was the outcome of five years' autocratic rule of Gen Musharraf in uniform.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, Sindh ARD president Zain Ansari said that overthrow of the elected government on this day five years back had inflicted irreparable loss to democracy.

Mr Ansari, flanked by Prof N.D. Khan, Sardar Rahim, Rafique Butt, Basharat Mirza, Saleem Khokhar and others who were all wearing back arm bands, said that they did not recognize Pervez Musharraf as the COAS who was retired by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif nor recognized him as president as he came to power by trampling the Constitution and removing the elected government without any justification.

Issuing a 34-point white paper covering misdeeds of five-year rule of Gen Musharraf, he said when people protested over wrapping up democracy in the country hundreds of ARD workers were put behind bars. Javed Hashmi was paying the price and Asif Zardari was facing prison from the last seven years, he added.

Referring to the law and order situation, he said that the soldiers of democracy Iqbal Raad, Abdullah Murad, Munawwar Hussain Suhrawardi, Pir Binyamin Rizvi were killed and their assassins had not been arrested so far. He further alleged that Afaq Ahmad, Aamir Khan and other MQM Haqiqi leaders were made the victim of state-sponsored terrorism.

During the last five years a number of mosques, Imambargahs, churches were damaged with bomb blasts, he said adding that life and property of people are not safe. During the period, he alleged, more than 2,200 persons were killed and 5,260 were injured in 550 major incidents of terrorism.

The ARD leader said that during this period Ms Benazir Bhutto's media trail continued, Mian Shahbaz Sharif was deported in violation of the Supreme Court's decision which proved that the Sharif family had not accepted any deal.

He said that the rulers after making amendments to the Political Parties Act, Constitution and the laws against the wishes of people had made the parliament subservient.

Mr Ansari said that and after sending home the hand picked prime minister Zafarullah Jamali and installing Shaukat Aziz the biggest ever cabinet in the history of the country had been formed.

Criticizng the foreign policy, he said that Pakistan had been made a hunting place for the US agencies. He further said that Kashmir - the jugular vein of Pakistan - was being compromised by pleading the principle of give and take to resolve the issue.

Referring to the Wana situation, tussle between provinces over Greater Thal Canal, Kalabagh Dam, NFC Award and royalty issue, the ARD leader appealed to the rulers not to play with the destiny and future of the nation.

Recalling the economic condition, he said that unemployment had reached from 5.9 to 12.5 per cent and purchasing power of common man had reduced to 60 per cent. Prices of meat, flour, ghee, sugar, pulses and other essential items had been increased manifolds, and internal loans had increased from Rs1,453 billion to Rs2,200 billion.

He pointed out that whenever the generals were in power, the country had shrunk. He said that Gen Pervez Musharraf had made the people hostage from the last five years on the back of his uniform that was why he did not like to doff the uniform.

Mr Ansari said that when Gen Musharraf could have fears of losing support of the army one could asses the problems and authority of an elected civilian prime minister in running the state affairs.

By making Pakistan as front-line ally of the US, he said that the life of entire nation had been put at risk and the country was facing internal and external threats due to Pervez Musharraf and his introduced system in the country.

Prof N.D. Khan said that there was neither parliamentary nor presidential form of the government in Pakistan and this confusion had been pushing the country towards serious crisis. He said that the only solution left was the restoration of undiluted democracy in the country and warned that any delay could put the country's survival at risk.