PESHAWAR, Feb 13: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy kicked off its week-long protest campaign against the government here on Friday by setting up a protest camp at Chowk Yadgar.
The PPP and PML-N had organized the show to criticize the government on the law and order situation, humiliation of scientists, unemployment and price-hike. They also slammed the role of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal as 'pseudo opposition'.
Speaking to protesters, ARD secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said it had been a considered opinion of the ARD that Gen Pervez Musharraf was 'working for the promotion of US interests' in this part of the world. "His stay in power for a longer period might damage national interests," he alleged.
He called upon the government to facilitate an honourable return of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and Sharif brothers. He said the presence of Ms Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in the country, after a leakage of nuclear know-how to abroad, had become necessary. "They can steer the country out of the mess created by rulers," he claimed.
He said military rulers had backed out from the principled stand and taken an apologetic stance on the Kashmir issue. Now, he added, they were trying to roll back the nuclear programme on US diktate.
He said the military had crippled parliament and installed their puppets as rulers to deceive the world, and vowed that the ARD would expose the 'real face' of dictators.
He accused Gen Musharraf and his allies of promoting lawlessness, nepotism and corruption and selling out the national interest to protect their own power. The political expediency demonstrated by Gen Musharraf would lead the country to an unending crisis, he warned.
Deploring the humiliation of scientists, he said other actors in the scandal had made scientists scapegoats. He asked the government to release all scientists who had made the country's defence invincible. Mr Jhagra said the campaign would continue till the ouster of Gen Musharraf and his undemocratic allies.
The office-bearers of the Asif Ali Zardari Release Committee had placed banners at the protest camp, demanding that the government should free Mr Zardari immediately.
NWFP PPP chief Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti said the immediate removal of the general from power had become essential for the future of democracy. He said the ARD had set up protest camps at the district level. He asked the ARD workers to explain to people 'fraudulent' elections and deeds of civilian rulers as well as the MMA which, he added, had tainted the role of opposition.
He said the ARD's 'Remove Musharraf, Save Pakistan' campaign was aimed at freeing the country from the US influence. The ARD would not allow rulers to turn the country into an American colony, he pledged.
The protest venue was decorated with the PPP and PML flags and banners inscribed with slogans, demanding release of Mr Zardari and return of Mr Nawaz Sharif and Ms Bhutto.
Our Kohat Corresponds adds: Local ARD leaders called upon President Musharraf to step down in the 'greater interest' of democracy and the country. Speaking at a protest meeting here on Friday, Sher Khan of PML-N and Saifullah Khan Khattak of PPP alleged that the MMA, by siding with generals, had jeopardized the opposition's efforts for restoration of democracy.