BB opts collision course with Govt
Bureau Report

LAHORE—Former Prime Minister and PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has said that Pervez Musharraf must quit as president - as police prevent her from leading a protest march. She told Sky News: “It is a dictatorship in Pakistan and that’s why we say President Musharraf must leave. “The time for dictatorship is over. It’s time to bring a transfer to democracy.”
Calling for his resignation as president for the first time, she said General Musharraf was “out of his depth”. She said: “The situation in the country can only be aggravated if he stays. It’s a nuclear-armed country and the military is over-extended.” The former prime minister said more than 7,000 of her supporters had been arrested overnight. She said: “This is just terrible, that the police who should be used to find out where Osama bin Laden is hiding are focusing their attention on my supporters.
“There is a total revulsion of the naked force used against peaceful protesters.” Responding to suggestions that she could be flown to her home in Karachi by military plane she said she had not heard anything to that effect but said it was possible. The former Prime Minister, who is under house arrest, has been urging supporters to join her 170-mile procession to the capital to protest against General Musharraf. But the first protesters to arrive for the march were swiftly detained by police. She had insisted the so-called “Long March” would go ahead even if police tried to block her.
But a senior government official said the protest would not be allowed and that police would use force if necessary. About 18,000 police officers are on duty in Lahore to stop the protest. Roads have been blocked with vehicles and metal barricades. “Her residence is an official jail now,” said a senior police officer at the scene. Police have said Ms Bhutto could be the target of another suicide assassination attempt, like the one in which 139 people were killed at a rally last month on her return from eight years in exile.
Chairperson Pakistan People Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto and President of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Qazi Hussain Ahmad have agreed to launch a joint movement against emergency rule in the country, restoration of constitution and democracy in the country.
Former Prime Minster Tuesday called up MMA’s President and suggested for a common movement instead of using separate platforms against the imposition of emergency and suspension of constitution. Both the leaders stressed on strengthening the mutual ties and said the joint strategy would be worked out in consultation with party leadership and allies.
Benazir Bhutto in her telephonic conversation said that she was ready to call a meeting of all political parties for chalking out a common strategy to oust General Musharraf. Bhutto further said that she is willing to hold an informal meeting of all the political forces if a formal sitting was not possible under current circumstances. It is time for all the political parties to join hands and agree on one-point agenda to throwaway the Musharraf’s government, she said
Qazi thanked Bhutto for making contact with him and advised the PPP leader to convene such a meeting from the lawyer’s platform. Upon this, Benazir Bhutto replied that lawyers’ platform was best for its community however it would be much better to launch a political struggle from a political platform.