LAHORE, Oct 29: The Awami National Party (ANP) has argued that political parties should offer a five-year presidency to Gen Pervez Musharraf to facilitate re-introduction of civilian rule.
Transfer of power from army to civil society had always been difficult and necessitated compromises with the army on issues that were least damaging, ANP acting chief Ehsan Wyne told Dawn here on Tuesday.
The suggestion should not be taken to mean support for the establishment, as the party had itself been a victim of rigging in the elections, he said.
The ANP could not secure even a single NA seat in the Oct 10 polls. However, its nine MPAs were elected to the NWFP Assembly.
Mr Wyne was not sure if the leadership emerging in the Oct 10 polls would be able to make the army return to barracks. The problems at national and international fronts were too big for the “dwarfs”, he claimed.
Mr Wyne, however, was concerned at Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s efforts to become the prime minister. He feared that a religious premier might create problems for the government’s Afghan, Kashmir and US policies.
He criticized federal law minister Dr Khalid Ranjha who, he said, was misleading the government in constitutional and legal affairs. The ANP’s MPs would not take oath under the Legal Framework Order, he maintained.
He also condemned the amendments in certain election laws like floor-crossing, which, he said, were aimed at helping the PML(Q) secure a majority in the National Assembly. The government wanted to maintain the status quo through such measures, which would destroy whatever was left in the institutions, he maintained.
A strong opposition would make the parliament come to its knees within six months, he predicted.
The army government is making fun of politicians, who should not fall prey to its tactics and must not allow it a chance to show to the masses that they are not capable of running the country, he said.
The ANP president claimed that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had exploited the sentiments of voters in the NWFP by propagating that their election symbol (book) represented the Holy Quran. Moreover, the Maulvis had announced in villages that whoever would hoist the MMA flag on his roof would get the reward for 100 good deeds, he added.
He, however, demanded that the MMA should be given a chance to rule the NWFP so that the people could see their capabilities for themselves.
