News, May 24, 2003, Al-Jazeerah.info

Home

Opposition predicts crisis if Musharraf refuses to quit military
(AFP), Khaleej Times, 24 May 2003

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s opposition parties on Saturday predicted a national crisis if President Pervez Musharraf refused their demands to quit the military.

“There will be resistance if Musharraf does not quit and the (current political) crisis will deepen,” Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, told AFP.

“The combined opposition parties have more votes from the masses than the ruling party and its allies, and the will of the people will prevail,” Hashmi said.

“In the interests of the nation and the country we request that (the ruling party) realise that the reign of general must end,” Hashmi said.

Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali is this weekend considering a list of recommendations based on marathon 18-day talks between the ruling and opposition parties on revising controversial constitutional amendments made by Musharraf last August.

The amendments give sweeping powers the military and allow Musharraf to hold the posts of President and army chief until 2007.

Musharraf’s dual position is the most inflammatory issue dividing the government and opposition. Islamists, Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the PML-N say Musharraf must quit the army and undergo a presidential election.

While the MMA is willing to give him a deadline of several months and has guaranteed to support him in presidential elections, the PPP and PML-N want him to quit the military immediately and refuse to back him in any presidential poll.

Islamists have threatened to launch a nationwide campaign of street protests if Musharraf is not ready by the August 14 deadline, the day when Pakistan will celebrate its 56th year of independence.

Parliamentary leader of the MMA, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, said the protest call was still under consideration by MMA leaders who would make a final decision on the strategy after talks with Jamali.

Jamali is to meet opposition leaders next week to discuss the recommendations of a joint opposition-government committee. Talks were originally scheduled for Sunday.

“The opposition party leaders are likely to meet Jamali on Monday or Tuesday,” Ahmed told AFP, but Hashmi said he had no idea when Jamali will meet party leaders.

The combined opposition’s rowdy campaign against the constitutional changes, imposed by Musharraf before last October’s elections restored the parliament and ended three years of military rule, has paralyzed the lower house for the past three months.

 <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

2002-2003 Copyright © aljazeerah.info & aljazeerah.us. All Rights Reserved.

editor@aljazeerah.info