MULTAN, Nov 30: Politicians in south Punjab have called the giving up of uniform by President Pervez Musharraf a positive step, but not too enough for the flourishing of democracy in the country.

They demanded that Gen Musharraf also bid a farewell to Presidency besides calling for the reinstatement of deposed judges, restoration of the Constitution and formation of an independent Election Commission.

Former caretaker prime minister Mir Balakh Sher Mazari said Gen Musharraf did not leave the GHQ willingly but the international community forced him to do so.

He said the announcement of holding of election and lifting of emergence was also the result of the pressure of the world community. He demanded army operation in Balochistan be ended and the government’s involvement in election in Dera Bugti be stopped.

Former governor Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar said Gen Musharraf was in power not because of people mandate but because of his uniform. He said Gen Musharraf took so many measures to rig the elections before stepping out of the military office because he wanted to remain in power at any cost.

He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) had lost its strength as a party and soon it would disintegrate into small groups.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said his party boycotted the presidential elections, did not endorse the 17th Amendment and took firm stand against president in uniform and it was the result of the pressure of the international community and the PPP that Gen Musharraf hanged up his uniform.

He said the PPP had a clear stand on the independence of the judiciary and the media while a majority of lawyers who were struggling for the restoration of the Constitution and reinstatement of judges were from the PPP.

PPP leader Syed Fakhar Imam said after giving up uniform Gen Musharraf should lift emergency, reinstate deposed judges, restore the Constitution and form an independent Election Commission.

He said Gen Musharraf was de-facto head of the PML-Q and had asked the public to vote for it. He said local body heads could rig the elections because they could influence returning officers.

As all opposition leaders voice against President Musharraf, PML-Q leaders stand by the president.

Rana Qasim Noon, former provincial minister, says even though Gen Musharraf has hanged up his uniform but he is the supreme commander of all forces, so the PML-Q would benefit from this fact.

He said in Pakistan political parties were not much strong and most of the politics revolved around constituencies. He said PML-Q candidates were prominent figures in their constituencies, so the situation would be in the favour of PML-Q candidates.