HYDERABAD, Jan 31: Speakers at a gathering here on Thursday described the assassination of Benazir Bhutto as a tragedy for the entire world and warned against rigging in the February 18 elections. They said that the people of Sindh, whose beloved leader had been murdered, were anxious and wanted fair and honest polls.

They were of the view that it was strange that the people of Sindh had been denied right to mourn the death of their leader by registering fabricated criminal cases against hundreds of thousands of people.

The meeting was hosted by the Sindh Democratic Forum for a delegation of the National Solidarity Mission at the residence of SDF secretary Zulfikar Halepoto. The mission comprises representatives of civil society organisations from Punjab, NWFP, Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir.

Mohammad Taj, who heads the delegation, said the purpose of their visit to Sindh was to ascertain the extent of people’s grief and anger.

He said the people of Sindh were not alone in their hour of grief and the statements made by people like Chaudhry did not represent the feelings of anyone except themselves.

Referring to some speeches made on the occasion, Sindh PPP general secretary Nafees Siddiqui disagreed with proposals made by nationalist leaders about drafting a new constitution or a social contract. “Constitutions are not made every day. The present constitution is a dynamic document of the federating units and approved by parliament, but mutilated by dictators. It does not mean that it is no longer there,” he said.

He said Benazir Bhutto was a bridge between the Muslim Ummah and the West and that al Qaeda did not face any threat from her. “She always called for a dialogue with tribesmen in Waziristan,” he said.

Mr Siddiqui said that President Pervez Musharraf, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi felt threatened from her.

Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party chief Dr Qadir Magsi said: “If the establishment wants to keep Pakistan united it should hold a roundtable conference … instead of going for a bloodbath.”

He said that political parties should force President Musharraf to resign and face charges for eight years of misrule.

PPP study circle chief Maula Bux Chandio said that the people of Sindh had been contemplating in terms of extreme measures since the Dec 27 tragedy.

He said that Benazir Bhutto had been described by Nawaz Sharif the link amongst the federating units but ‘unfortunately this link was broken in Punjab.’

He said that the people of Sindh were eagerly waiting for February 18 when their grief would be transformed into a demonstration of strength all over the country. He urged the rulers to desist from any wrongdoings on February 18 and warned that any foul move could prove dangerous for everyone.

Ayaz Latif Palejo said that Benazir Bhutto was not tolerated despite the fact that she was open to political adjustments. He called for unveiling the hand behind Baitullah Mehsud, who was being blamed for killing her.

He said the people of Sindh would also watch how Punjab would deal with the Chaudhry in the elections.

He said that a new charter was required because the present constitution did not have any provision for the trial of a chief justice if a reference against him was sent to the Supreme Judicial Council under article 209.

He said the Council of Common Interests had representatives of four provinces but still it was dominated by the nominees of a federal government, thereby sidelining the chief ministers.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Afzal Gujjar, Sindh Democratic Forum chief Abrar Kazi, Jami Chandio, Professor Mushtaq Mirani, Professor Inam Sheikh, Abdul Waheed Qureshi, Zulfikar Halepoto and Iqbal Mallah also spoke on the occasion.