Qazi seeks joint struggle with PPP

LAHORE—President MMA and Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer, Qazi Hussain Ahmad has welcomed Ms Benazir Bhutto’s call for the restoration of deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to his position as was on Nov 3. This, he said, will help pave the way of understanding between various opposition parties.
In a statement from the JI headquarters Mansoorah on Sunday Qazi Hussain Ahmad underscored the need for revival of true democracy and end to military rule under the banner of a massive joint struggle of all opposition parties. He demanded of the PPP to quit the National Assembly like other opposition MPs and immediately halt all kind of contacts with the army chief-led junta.
“This gesture will motivate workers and the common people to throng to streets and offer sacrifices for ending military rule in Pakistan.” “In the wake of camouflaged Martial Law and constitution in abeyance sticking to the assemblies will bear no fruit,” he remarked. Meanwhile, Qazi Hussain Ahmad spoke to PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim on telephone.
He told the PPP leader that after Ms. Bhutto reply to Mian Nawaz Sharif’s letter; all the opposition parties should meet to ponder ways and means to exert pressure for seeking restoration of Chief Justice, end to PCO and anti-government drive. Similarly, he has also blasted General Pervez Musharraf for violating constitution and mocking the superior judicature in his press conference in Islamabad on Sunday.
In a statement from detention, released to media by the party’s Media Centre Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that election held without ending the PCO, emergency and ensuring the independence of judicature would be a farce. The defeated General is trying to hoodwink the international audience and befool his people by announcing holding of elections under the Martial Law. Such “elections” would cause irreparable loss to the already lapidated road to democracy. It is high time, he said, to carve a joint anti-government drive from the platform of APDM to rid the country from military rule once for all.
MMA President and Amir of Jama’at-e-Islami Pakistan, Qazi Hussain Ahmad has called upon former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to severe all ties with the government. He made the call in a contact with PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim in which he gave a message for Benazir Bhutto. Qazi urged her to come out of the assemblies by severing all ties with the government and launch a movement for the restoration of democracy and constitution by joining the opposition.
Qazi Hussain Ahmad urged Fahim to launch a joint movement against emergency and PCO. Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that the MMA has put off the November 14 announced APC in the larger interest of the opposition so that it could be held from the APDM platform. He stressed upon Benazir Bhutto that if she didn’t want to join APDM, even then she should launch movement for the restoration of democracy and constitution by joining hands with the opposition.—Agencies