Civil society members, including local leadership of mainstream political parties and people from non-governmental organisations has expressed unanimity in describing that holding of free and fair elections were Musharraf led set-up is impossible in the country.
They feared that the upcoming general elections, scheduled for February 18, would massively be rigged, paving way for hand-picked politicians to enter the power corridors.
All the political parties were unanimous in recommending a 12-point declaration presented at a dialogue on 'Women in Election 08 sans Benazir Bhutto' held in a local hotel on Tuesday under the aegis of Aurat Foundation in collaboration of Pakistan Coalition for Free, Fair and Democratic Elections (PACFREL).
The declaration said that holding free, fair and impartial election in the country would not be possible without immediate reinstatement of the judges of the superior courts as they were on November 2, 2007 and hastened to add that the judges who took oath under the PCO should also be removed.
It demanded forthwith restoration of the Constitution along with all fundamental rights, without any unconstitutional amendments, adding: "Power of judiciary, which were curtailed under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) be restored.
Showing dissatisfaction over the incumbent Election commission, it urged the government to set-up "truly independent and effective" election commission with the consensus of major political parties.
It stressed the need for establishing neutral caretaker governments at federal and provincial levels after consultation with all the stakeholders. It added that withdrawal of all amendments in Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) ordinance as well as removal of all restrictions on print and electronic media was also essential for free and fair poll.
The declaration went on to demand that judges of the superior judiciary, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry; lawyers and human right activists should soon be released besides withdrawing cases against them in the backdrop of emergency, which it termed as martial law.
It said that interference of the spy agencies in politics should also be ended besides cancelling and declaring null and void transfers, postings and appointments after November 3. Earlier, participants eulogised services of slain leader of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) saying that she was the identity of Pakistan among the comity of nations.
Haji Muhammad Adeel of the Awami National Party (ANP) said: "Whenever our political leader starts getting mature some invisible hands intrigue to deprive the nation of them."
The nationalist leader said that Quaid-i-Azam, Liaquat Ali Khan, Dr Khan Saheb and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto were martyred by these invisible hands and recently they stained their hands with the blood of Benazir Bhutto. He said that Benazir had turned into a very mature politician who had a well planned agenda to ameliorate the plight of countrymen. "But was not given the chance to materialise her plan," he said.
The assassination of Benazir is a loss to the whole country for she was not the leader of a particular gender or class but of the whole nation. Fida Gul, former president of the Peshawar Bar Association, said that had the politicians paid heed to the demand of lawyer community to boycott election under General Pervez Musharraf the life of Benazir could have saved.
He opined that only an independent judiciary could put a leash on the unbridled powers of military dictators. "No one in the country can expect the PCO judges to deliver justice in Benazir case," he said. He added that all the countrymen should take the killing of Benazir as a lesson and get united to steer the country of the quagmire, it had been pushed in by injudicious policies of the junta.
Shazia Aurangzeb Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also threw her weight behind Fida Gul, urging all the political forces to get united on one point agenda "to rid the nation" of General Pervez Musharraf, who, she blamed, was the sole cause of Benazir's killing.
Dr Iqbal Khaleel of the JI, Shazia Tahmas and Mehrun Nisa Afridi and Azam Afridi of PPP, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf provincial chief Shah Farman, Rakhsanda Naz and Uzma Mahboob of Aurat Foundation also spoke on the occasion.
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