KARACHI, Dec 19: The Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami and parliamentary leader of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, has alleged that President Musharraf has established autocracy by violating Constitution and breaching democratic norms.

“The president will have to accept the MMA’s demands of supremacy of parliament, restoration of the Constitution and he will also have to give up his military uniform,” he said accusing the government of indulging in horse-trading.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed was speaking at an Eid Milan party organized by Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) here late Wednesday.

He made it clear that the MMA was not power-hungry. Rather, he added, the alliance wanted ‘real democracy’ to prevail in the country.

If Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali would strive for the restoration of democracy and supremacy of parliament, the MMA would definitely extend its support to the government, he said.

The JI leader clarified that the alliance would not create hurdles for President Musharraf in his becoming a constitutional president.

However, he said, it would not accept a military man as head of the state. A uniformed head of state would be opposed at all fronts, he added.

Mr Qazi asked all the MMA legislators to give up ‘elite culture’ and maintain contacts with masses in their respective constituencies with an aim of resolving their problems.

He reminded them that restricting themselves to furnished offices in highrise buildings, availing of security guards and equipment and acquiring certain other facilities would keep them away from the common man. The MMA legislators, he said, were supposed to fulfil their religious obligations, offer prayers in mosques and keep in touch with their electorates.

The provincial chief of the MMA, Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, condemned police action inside the Sindh Assembly building to arrest Yunus Khan, a Mohajir Qaumi Movement MPA. He alleged that the Sindh government was formed through ‘blatant rigging’.

President of the KCCI, Shaukat Iqbal, renowned economist, Shahid Hassan Siddiqui, Justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmed and others also spoke on the occasion.

Those who were present at the party included City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, Naib Amir of the JI, Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, and the MMA legislators Muhammad Hussain Mahenti, Abdul Sattar Afghani, Laiq Ahmed Khan and Nasarullah Shajee.—PPI