It is indeed quite shocking and disappointing that Opposition parties alliance, APDM, has given a call for wheel jam strike on January 8, the polls day. That the call comes from an alliance, some of whole component parties preferred to boycott the whole election process, is even more shocking.
This is just not fair. If they are not taking part in the upcoming polls, it is their own business, but they cannot hold back those who are wisely participating in the election process realising their constitutional, legal and moral obligations and responsibilities in this regard.
I fear that the APDM's boycotting parties that somehow a law and order situation be created so that, the election scheduled for January 8 are postponed.
Well. These are my apprehensions, which may be right or wrong. But I am sure that President Pervez Musharraf will not bow down to such negative and undemocratic tactics and ensure that the election are held as scheduled in a free, fair, transparent and orderly manner in a conducive atmosphere.
It is also worth mentioning here that the APDM has already split into the boycotting and participating component parties. APDM is the first alliance of Opposition parties which was formed after the demise of veteran politician and author of several alliances over the years, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, and it has broken up much sooner than expected.
It is also a bitter fact that the APDM was formed in London in 2006 at the instance of PML(N) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif and he is in the election arena along with JUI(F)'s Maulana Fazlur Rahman and ANP's Asfand Yar Wali Khan, both of whom have inherited politics from their illustrious and veteran politician fathers Maulana Mufti Mehmud and Khan Abdul Wali Khan respectively.
How can they justify such a negative and ill-advised call for wheel jam strike on January 8 when they themselves have opted out of the polls in an undemocratic move?