APDM to launch protest drive from 23rd
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—The leadership of APDM (All Pakistan Democratic Movement) has announced to start a Nationwide protest movement against emergency from 23rd Nov. While addressing a press conference after the meeting of leaders’ conference of APDM, chairman PML (N), Raja Zafar-ul-Haq strongly berated the government for the fact that majority of PML (N) leaders were in jails.
He accused President Musharraf of being responsible for the crisis, which emanated form Balochistan after the death of Akbar Bugti, and which continues to rile Balochistan still. He termed it as quite ridiculous that the very elements responsible for putting the Country into an abyss of crisis were asking the masses to reelect them for the next 5-year term. He also berated President Musharraf’s notorious efforts of deporting Mian Nawaz Sharif, despite the definite orders of the Supreme Court to allow him a reentry, and shameful and undignified treatment meted to judges, whence even their homes were locked, imprisoning judges’ children.
The meeting has decided that APDM would also stage a Nationwide sit-in, while committees representing APDM would also be formed on district and Provincial levels. He has also welcomed Benazir’s statement regarding summoning of APC, and said that current socio-political conditions were not conducive for holding free, fair and transparent general elections.
The combined opposition Monday boycotted the meeting convened by the Election Commission of Pakistan to prepare code of conduct for general elections due in January. Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Qazi Farooq invited upto 90 registered Political Parties throughout the country to attend the meeting sothat code of conduct can be prepared for upcoming general elections but major Opposition Parties including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Awami-e-National Party and other component Parties in All Parties Democratic Movement boycotted it. The Opposition Parties adopted a stance that the election commission is a controversial, partial and incomplete body and its code of conduct for general elections will be unconstitutional and unacceptable. Elections cannot be held free, fair and transparent under Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Qazi Farooq therefore they would not participate in the meeting. The code of conduct prepared by the election commission will help the ruling alliance to win the elections.
Quaid PML-N Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Chairperson PPP Benazir Bhutto, Secretary General MMA Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, President MMA Qazi Hussain and other Opposition leaders has already expressed reservations on election commission by declaring it partial body. Political experts said that now the meeting has no value due to boycott of Opposition Parties.