KARACHI, Nov 5: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Monday spelled out her roadmap for democracy in the country and criticised the government for unleashing what she called a reign of terror against protesting lawyers and journalists.

She called upon General Pervez Musharraf to immediately revive the Constitution, quit army chief’s post and hold general elections in January if he wanted to defuse the current volatile situation.

Addressing a news conference at Bilawal House, she said Musharraf should fulfil his promise about hanging up his uniform which he made to the Supreme Court and the one he had made to the PPP during the dialogue.

She emphasised the need for reconstituting the Election Commission and carrying out other electoral reforms demanded by the PPP.

Replying to a question, she said she had conveyed to PML (N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif through Mr Ishaq Dar her desire to wage a common struggle if the emergency was imposed.

She hoped that all democratic parties would unite to emancipate the people from the yoke of dictatorship and the menace of terrorism and extremism.

“We strongly condemn the violence against lawyers and media people. This force and brutality should be kept away from our society,” she said and called for immediate release of all political prisoners.

She criticised the government for the treatment it meted out to the judges.

Ms Bhutto said that the suspension of Constitution was an attack on Pakistan and threat to its security.

Referring to the rising menace of terrorism and extremism, she said the gulf between the people and the government was widening which must be addressed immediately.

Pointing out that militancy and terrorism had flourished under the dictatorship, the PPP chairperson said that during 11 years the poor had become poorer while the rich had accumulated more wealth.

Ms Bhutto said: “Internal reconciliation needs people’s support and a professional security and administrative system.

“We want all moderate political parties to unite to deal with extremism,” she said, adding that there should be zero tolerance for violence and terrorism.

She called for a “political solution” to the ongoing problem of Al Qaeda and Taliban militancy in tribal areas.

She told a questioner that the military should not meddle in politics because that distorts its image and brings it in conflict with the people.

She claimed that like in the past, this time also emergency had been clamped to deny the PPP a clean sweep in the elections.

Ms Bhutto thanked the international community which was siding with the people of Pakistan, instead of one individual.