KARACHI, Feb 9: The Pakistan People's Party on Monday accused the government of mishandling of the nuclear issue and decided to launch a week-long protest campaign, demanding the issue should be discussed in the parliament.
"The way some of the nuclear scientists were accused of betraying the nation and the manner in which pardon was given by the president smacks rat. It is an issue of the people and cannot be closed in such a manner. It should be discussed in the parliament," PPP Parliamentarians chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim said after the Sindh Council meeting at the Bilawal House.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of Feb 20 meeting of the party leadership, summoned in London by the PPP chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto "to discuss the current political situation both at home and externally, besides discussing party's organizational matters."
Although Mr Fahim did not elaborate on this, some insiders were of the view that the London meeting had been called to discuss the fresh "package" which the government had allegedly conveyed to the PPP chairperson through "intermediaries. "However, the provincial chief of the party, Nisar Khuhro, rejected such presumptions while briefing newsmen after the council meeting.
Mr Khuhro alleged that by its mishandling of the issue "the regime, which does not respect democratic rights and institutions of the people, has projected Pakistan as headquarter of nuclear proliferation."
He said that as an ARD component, the PPP had decided to organize protest rallies to mobilize support for removing Gen Pervez Musharraf from Feb 13 to Feb 20.
Replying to a question, he said :"We are protesting over the mishandling of the nuclear issue, due to which Pakistan has been dangerously exposed to external pressures and interventions."
He agreed with a questioner that Gen Musharraf, in his lengthy press conference, had in fact read out charge sheet against Pakistan, which the external forces would exploit when it suited them.
Mr Khuhro was of the view that after the fall of Dhaka, the handling of nuclear scientists' issue was the gravest tragedy, which had shocked the people who had been denied their basic rights, made jobless, compelled to commit suicides and pushed to the wall.
Giving details of the week-long protest plan by the party, in accordance with the decision taken by the ARD, Mr Khuhro said that about 250 members, who attended the Sindh Council's meeting today, had decided that daily protest camps would be set up in every district headquarter, where the party activists and supporters, including MNA, MPAs, ticket holders, workers, jobless people and those who had been pushed to the wall by the regime would assemble between 11am and 4pm to inform the people about "misdeeds" of this government.
The other matter which was deliberated in the session was the plan of observing 25th death anniversary of the PPP founding chairman, late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. In this context, Mr Khuhro spelt out detailed plan according to which on Feb 21 the Peoples Labour Bureau would hold a seminar here, while its minority wing would do the same in Mirpur Khas on Feb 25. Lawyers Forum plans to organize a seminar here on Feb 29, whereas students and women wings would do the same in Hyderabad on march 4 and 8, respectively.
Similar programmes had been drawn up by the Hari and Youth committees and cultural wings until March 20. Asked what were the compulsions for holding the meeting of party leadership in London on Feb 20, Mr Khuhro said political situation in and outside the country, besides organizational matters, would be discussed at the meeting.
Mr Khuhro also announced that anti-greater Thal Canal and Kalabagh dam committee would take out a rally from Quaid's mazar to the Karachi Press Club, to demonstrate to the people that the regime and the provincial government, which had supported two resolutions in the Sindh Assembly, had allegedly bowed to pressure. He said that ANP and National Party had also joined the seven-party committee.