LAHORE, Dec 2: Benazir Bhutto’s political secretary Naheed Khan proposed on Monday that all political forces should launch a joint struggle to restore ‘real’ democracy and send the army back to the barracks.
Answering reporters’ questions at the residence of Malik Javed Shahbaz Heera in the presence of Abdul Qadir Shaheen, Dr Fakhar, Sajida Mir and others, the MNA said the struggle could be within parliament and outside.
She said if the PML-Q regarded itself as a democratic force, it should also take part in the proposed struggle. But, she said, if it wanted to continue to work under instructions from the military authorities, it was free to do so.
In response to a question, she said the PPP wanted all baseless cases against Ms Bhutto, her husband and other leaders withdrawn and all political prisoners released. Also, she said, the PPP wanted supremacy of parliament and the Constitution, and it did not accept the Legal Framework Order.
She said the military authorities had offered to send Zardari out of the country provided the PPP extended cooperation to the government. But, she said, the PPP had rejected the offer, saying the Constitution and parliament were more important than anything else.
“If the government wants the parliament to function properly and strengthen the institutions, it will have to accept the PPP’s demands,” she said.
In her opinion, the new parliament would be short-lived as the system ‘devised’ by military rulers would not work at all.
She reiterated that the PPP could not sit with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal as the two had different views on a number of important issues. She said it was because of these differences that the PPP did not stand with the PML-N when it supported the MMA. She alleged the MMA was the creation of “Jehadist generals” in the army.
She said the PPP and the PML-N were allies on the ARD’s platform.
Ms Khan demanded that the Sindh Assembly should be convened without any delay so that the House could elect its new chief minister.
She claimed the government was delaying the session because it knew well that the PPP being the single largest party was in a position to form government there.
She alleged that some PPP legislators had changed loyalties under pressure from the military authorities. However, she made it clear that the party would not allow the defectors to rejoin.
Meanwhile, the PPP’s provincial executive is meeting here on Tuesday to discuss a number of issues, including Senate elections. Acting secretary-general Raza Rabbani will also be participating.
Naheed Khan said the party was also planning to hold workers’ conventions in important cities of the country. Some of the conventions would also be addressed by Ms Benazir Bhutto.