HYDERABAD, April 17: Pasban, a social welfare organisation, on Tuesday decided to convert itself into a political party and pledged to provide sincere leadership to the country by challenging the unconstitutional and undemocratic forces.

Pasban’s Central President Prof Javed Sindhu, General Secretary Tariq Jamil, Pasban Sindh President Khudadad Nizamani, organiser of Punjab Ayaz Hussain and President NWFP Zulfiqar Asad said at a news conference at the press club their party had a four-point manifesto - self respect, freedom, social justice and employment for all.

Mr Sindhu blamed the generals’ greed for ruling over the country for the destruction of all the institutions and said that the latest attack on the head of judiciary had proved to be proverbial last straw.

He said that most of the politicians, religious leaders, social reformers and even judges had failed to perform their role but the generals surpassed them all by reducing the constitution of Pakistan to the status of their maid servant.

He said that on the one hand the administrators and female students of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa had taken law into their hands in the name of Sharia while on the other the government was forcibly trying to impose secularism. The two extremes in the name of Islam and secularism were against the spirit of Islam as well as the ideology of Pakistan, he said.

He said that the attack on chief justice had sent the country plunging into deep crisis and lawyers’ reaction to the attack was quite natural. What the lawyers had achieved in a few days could not be achieved even by an army of politicians in eight years, he said.

He said that the masses were not prepared to take any part in the movement because they were disappointed with the judges who had taken oath under the PCO and the politicians who had compromised with military rulers.

He accused the politicians of supporting undemocratic forces and said that the only solution to the crisis rested with the establishment of a civilised and just society for which all the patriots, intellectuals and jurists would have to unite on one platform.

He vowed that his party would never ever compromise with the unconstitutional military rulers and advised Gen Musharraf not to seek re-election through the present assemblies and not to remain under the illusion that military alone could save the country.

He demanded that president hand over power to the truly elected representatives of people and tender an apology to the nation for violating the constitution.

To a question, Mr Sindhu said that his party would take part in the elections provided they were not held under Gen Musharraf.

APPEAL: The custodian of Pir Makhdoom Lakho Lutfullah’s shrine Pir Mohammad Hashim said on Tuesday that some criminal elements were desecrating the graves by digging them up to excavate precious stones and appealed to the governor of Sindh and chief minister to help save the historic graveyard.