Opp in bid to undo PCO
Staff Report/Agencies

ISLAMABAD—Opposition alliances ARD and APDM have succeeded to develop consensus that opposition parties would not support extra constitutional steps taken by President Musharraf on Nov 3, and in this connection 18th amendment would be rejected in Parliament.
The meeting of the Joint Committee of APDM and ARD was held under the Chairmanship of Leader of the Opposition in Senate Mian Raza Rabbani to formulate Charter of Demand. Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmad, Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Akram Shah, Jan Muhammad Buledi, on the behalf of APDM and Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Senator Safdar Abbasi, Naveed Malik, Abdul Qadeer Khamosh on the behalf ARD attended the meeting.
According to the issued statement of Raza Rabbani, the meeting discussed in detail proposals for ensuring fair and fair elections, revocation of extra constitutional action of November 3 and restoration of the Constitution of 1973 as it stood on Nov 12, 1999.
Committee approved several proposals at the meeting. However, participants failed to develop consensus whether the demand of the restoration of purged independent-minded judges should be added in Charter of Demand or not. During this particular debate, representatives of Alliances exchanged harsh sentences. The associates of APDM were of the opinion that provision of restoration of sacked judges should be incorporated in Demands. While, ARD took stance that the very issue would be negotiated after elections in Parliament.
While giving to reply against a query, the Leader of Opposition in Senate told media men that the Committee does not possess the mandate to participate in forthcoming elections, since its duty is to produce the ‘Charter of Demand’. We are working hard to formulate comprehensively ‘Charter of Demand’, he added. The meeting was adjourned to meet on Thursday (today), at 4pm in order to complete its work under the terms of reference set by APDM and ARD leadership.
Pakistan’s opposition parties neared agreement Wednesday on a list of demands of President Pervez Musharraf in return for calling off a boycott that could spoil the legitimacy of January parliamentary elections, an official said. The negotiations came as the government prepared to expel two U.S. rights activists who have protested the arrest of Supreme Court justices and leading lawyers since Musharraf introduced emergency rule Nov. 3.
The meeting between representatives of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif and other smaller parties are crucial to an opposition push to challenge Musharraf’s political dominance. Bhutto spent the day meeting with foreign ambassadors, including the U.S., British and Saudi envoys. “We have done most of our job but still need more time,” Sen. Khursheed Ahmed, who is on the eight-member opposition committee, said after the talks finished for the night. “The committee would definitely accomplish this task tomorrow.”
Party leaders have threatened to boycott the vote unless their demands are met.