RAWALPINDI, July 18: The leaders of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) here on Thursday rejected the government’s constitutional amendments package and warned the rulers to leave the power before people started an agitation against them.
Speaking at a public meeting which held at the Rawalpindi press club here on Thursday, ARD chief Nawabzada Nasrullah said it was strange that the people had rejected the package but General Musharraf seemed to be unaware of their aspirations.
He said it would be very dangerous for the future premier to hold the office under such humiliating conditions which had been proposed in the package wherein his position was proposed to be vastly downgraded.
He said the alliance wanted elections under certain conditions that ought to be fulfilled before holding elections, which include setting up of an independent and autonomous Election Commission and giving the people free right to participate in the elections and elect their leadership.
Nawabzada said it was also strange that the president had been prolonging his period of stay in the office, first through Supreme Court verdict and then through referendum. “And at the same time, he is curtailing the tenure of parliament.”
He said this attitude revealed his hunger for power. The ARD chief also criticized the president for wearing the army uniform, while claiming to have been elected as the country’s president and said “he is not putting his uniform off because things might become difficult for him after that.”
Speaking about the graduation condition for contesting elections, Nawabzada said, the government should not bother itself by instituting different conditions and should rather issue a list of “unwanted politicians”.
He said there was no precedence of educational condition in any democratic country of the world, he said adding “it tantamount to usurp the people’s right to election.
Criticizing the reports of the re-unification of Pakistan Muslim League, he said, it was a good thing but it was insulting when a dictator was endeavouring to get them united for his personal motives.
He also questioned the procedure for the election of senators and inclusion of a large number of technocrats in parliament.