KARACHI, Dec 10: The Jamaat-i-Islami Karachi, expressing concern over the political situation and the constitutional crisis in the country, has demanded that in order to steer the country out of catastrophe , President Pervez Musharraf should honour his commitment and give up the office of the COAS before December 31.

This demand was made in a resolution adopted by the JI Karachi shoora, which met on Thursday with Dr Mairaj-ul-Huda Siddiqui in the chair. The resolution termed keeping the office of the COAS by the president after December 31 as a negation of democracy and violation of the constitution.

It was observed that real democracy can never be restored in the country, nor democratic institutions strengthened, and nor supremacy of the Parliament be established, under the shadow of the uniform. President Musharraf's continuation with the COAS office was tantamount to his no confidence in the elected representatives and the civil government, it was held.

In the resolution, it was further pointed out that Musharraf had completed five years of his rule although the Supreme Court had given him a three-year period to transfer power to elected representatives through fair and free elections.

The resolution pointed out that his five-year rule had brought price hikes, unemployment, poverty and lawlessness, while the United States intervention had increased to an extent that Pakistan appeared to be a US colony, as rulers were framing all policies and taking decisions on US dictates, it was added.