PML-N slams Govt stance on uniform

ISLAMABAD—Secretary Information Pakistan Muslim League- N (PML) Ahsan Iqbal, said, "Pakistan has a choice to make between constitutionalism and Musharafism.
In a Press Release issued on Sunday, the PML-N Secretary General said that the election of General Musharraf in uniform hasn't been validated by Supreme Court as being projected by the government propaganda machinery. The Supreme Court has given no judgment on merits of the case, the court in its wisdom only rejected the petitions on a procedural point saying that it didn't consider it to be a case of public importance for direct hearing by Supreme Court, despite all national and international interest in the matter, added by PML-N leader.
He said that the unconstitutional election of General Musharraf will now be challenged in appeal against the decision of Chief Election Commissioner to accept General Musharraf's nomination papers." Condemning the brutal use of force by police, PML-N Secretary General said, the brutal assault against lawyers, civil society, political activists, and journalists on 29 September, on Constitution Avenue, yet again showed that Musharraf regime has no respect for civil liberties and freedom of expression. The sanctity of Supreme Court building was shattered in clouds of tear gas shells which were fired indiscriminately, he added. He said that the country's image was badly tarnished and ongoing battle between rule of law and power of gun will determine the future course of Pakistani society. General Musharraf is bulldozing writ of institutions and law with power of military for personal power. The unarmed political activists, civil society, and media are fighting Musharraf’s dictatorship with the power of reason, morality, and law, he added.
Ahsan Iqbal said that unfortunately, it looks to some that Musharraf is able to survive the mounting public pressure with the help of his oppressive state machinery but in history oppression has always been overthrown by agents of change and progressive forces. The Musharraf regime wants to keep Pakistan in the league of Burma and Fiji while democratic forces and civil society want to see Pakistan move forward as a proud, stable, modern, and strong democracy like other nations. He said, "The myth of media freedom under General Musharaf has been shattered and exposed. The freedom which General Musharaf government claims to have given to media is due to technology explosion and the sacrifices made by brave journalists, who earned this freedom as a matter of right through a historic struggle. The test of this regime came when Chief Justice rallies were stopped from coverage and now when protests of lawyers against General Musharraf’s unconstitutional election were brutalized.
He said that we sincerely hope that PPP will review its decision to go along with Musharraf and resign alongwith APDM to be on the side of democratic forces otherwise history and people will hold it as Musharraf ally in league of PML-Q". He said, "The manner in which General Musharraf is conducting presidential election, it is crystal clear that general election under him will be a sham election and rigged. Only a neutral caretaker government of national consensus in place of General Musharraf which allows all leaders and parties to freely take part in election is the solution. The people should be given a chance to decide future of the country. All political prisoners in the country should be released immediately, he added.