The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on Monday kicked off its anti-Musharraf movement by holding its public meeting in Batkhela, district headquarters of Malakand Agency. Thousands of people attended the meeting where a by-election on NA-35 to be held on 15th. The leaders of the component parties of the alliance asked President Musharraf to quit his office and transfer power to the real representatives of the people.
Addressing of the occasion, Chairman of ARD and President of PPPP, Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the country was not created for army to rule but for the people of the region. "The very duty of the army is to defend the frontiers of the country and fulfil their constitutional duties. The right to rule the country rests in the people only," he remarked.
He asked President Musharraf to restore democracy and constitution in the country in its original form and turn back to the barracks.
The PPPP leader predicted that the former exiled prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would soon come back to the country to restore democracy. "An individual person has no right to rule over millions of people and implement his orders. This method is wrong as it causes injustice in a society," he observed.
He said the justice is imprisoned here, adding that in a society where judiciary is working under LFO what kind of justice will it give to the people. "When the people will come into power, they will make laws according to the needs and requirements of the majority," he added.
He further said that the people were facing lawlessness, price hike, unemployment and many other problems. The very reason of these problems is that the constitution is not implemented in toto. He said that the constitution should be respected, as it guarantees the basic rights to the people.
In his address on the occasion, central General Secretary of the Muslim League (Nawaz), Saranjam Khan urged the workers of all the component parties of ARD to expedite their efforts for the solidarity of the country, restoration of constitution and supremacy of the parliament.
Provincial President of PML (N) Pir Muhammad Sabir Shah said the election on NA-35 is a contest between pro-Musharraf and pro-democratic forces, asking the people to vote for the joint candidate of ARD.
He said this gathering is an announcement of war against the policies of President Musharraf. He rejected the moderate version of Islam presented by President Musharraf and said that the President has converted the country into a colony of USA.
Sabir Shah went on to say that the country could not be steered out of crisis by the military, but the political forces.
Central General Secretary of PPPP, Raja Pervez Ashraf said the Pakhtoons have always rendered great sacrifices for democracy in the country. He added that the people of NA-35 would totally reject the imported candidates and puppets of USA and vote for democratic forces.