Ponm urges government to lift emergency, withdraw PCO

Seraiki National Party's Acting President M A Bhutta has said that the high command of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) has demanded of the Musharraf government to lift emergency, withdraw Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) and announce the schedule for the new general elections and reinstate the deposed judges, observing that the country was facing its worst constitutional, legal and political crisis.
Briefing about the PONM meeting here on Saturday, Bhutta said "The only way to steer the country out of the prevailing crisis is to hold transparent, free and fair elections in the country."
The PONM leadership said that media and lawyers had played a leading role in the struggle for the restoration of democracy, and it was high time for all the political, religious and nationalist parties to come out in the streets and play a responsible role to steer the country out of the prevailing political and constitutional crisis.
The PONM meeting was attended by acting president and President National Party (NP) Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, BNP-Mengal Acting President Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini and Malik Abdul Wali Kakar, Central Secretary General PMAP ex-Senator Akram Shah, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Sindh Taraqee Pasand Party Acting Chairman Dr Abdul Hameed Memon and its General Secretary Howat Khan Gadhi, Seraiki National Party's Acting President M A Bhutta, Jamiat Ulema-e-Sindh Central President Obaidullah Bhutto and others.
PONM observed that the people were fed up with the dictatorial system and wanted a way out of it. It said that the proclamation of the new Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) was unjustifiable and termed "unannounced martial law" in the country. Dr Hayee Baloch, according to him, charged that the judiciary was attacked first and the basic rights of the masses were seized.
Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch said that the transmissions of (private) TV channels continued to be banned even after six days of emergency. "The harsh treatment being meted out to lawyers, media and political workers is unprecedented," he regretted.
Dr Hayee said that it was for the first time that the Chief Justice of Pakistan was being detained and some 60 judges had declined to take oath under the new PCO. The NP leader maintained that under the prevailing situation, the political, religious and nationalist leaderships should come forward and lead the nation and rid the country of the present rulers.
He said that an All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) meeting should be convened immediately and a future course of action be chalked out in this regard.
Dr Hayee Baloch and other leaders of the PONM unanimously announced that there was a need to wage a joint and organised struggle for getting rid of the present 'dictatorial' rule, restore the public right to rule, freedom of judiciary and the press and strengthening of democratic institutions. The PONM leadership also demanded restoration of the Constitution, withdrawal of the PCO, formation of an impartial and independent Election Commission, setting up of an impartial interim government and holding of free and fair elections in the country.