KARACHI, Aug 13: The Sindh Assembly adopted unanimously on Wednesday a resolution calling upon President Pervez Musharraf to take a vote of confidence from his electoral college or resign immediately.

“In case he fails to get the vote of confidence the assembly urges parliament to give notice of impeachment in accordance with Article 47 of the Constitution,” the resolution reads.

The house reverberated with slogans of “Long live democracy” as Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro announced after hour-long speeches that the resolution had been adopted unanimously.

Members belonging to the opposition — comprising Pakistan Muslim League-F, PML-Q and the National People’s Party -- and ruling coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement were absent from the house.

A total of 94 members, among them three from the PML-Q (forward bloc) and two of the Awami National Party, were present.

The party position in the house of 168 is as follows: PPP, 92; MQM, 52; PML-Q, nine; PML-F, eight, NPP, three; and ANP, 2. Election of two new members is yet to be notified.

Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman, Shama Mithani and Mohsin Shah Bokhari of the Pakistan People’s Party did not turn up. Mr Bokhari had sent an application for leave because he was out of the country.

The resolution, tabled by provincial Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, was endorsed by 15 members, including Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, ANP’s Amir Nawab and PML-Q’s Mir Ghalib Hussain Domki.

The members said: “In the history of the Sindh Assembly, which has to its credit approval of the Pakistan Resolution before all other assemblies, today is another historic day as the resolution moved in the house will go a long way to save and consolidate the country by stabilising democracy.

“Today is a historic day when we have an opportunity to get rid of a tyrant ruler and liberate ourselves from repressive rule.

“The day is also historic because an impeachment resolution is being passed for the first time against a dictator and the people of Sindh should identify those who join the democratic forces and those siding with the dictator. Today the people were taking revenge of the blood of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto by pursuing her maxim ‘democracy is the best revenge’, which was reiterated by (PPP chairman) Bilawal Bhutto.

“The voice being raised today in this august House against Gen Musharraf is the voice of the people of Sindh and Pakistan.”

Terming Gen (retd) Musharraf the root cause of all pressing problems being confronted by the nation, the speakers described the impeachment move as a far-sighted decision of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and the leadership of coalition parties.

Earlier, Law Minister Soomro requested for suspending the question hour and moved a motion to dispense with the requirements of Rules 32, 33 and Sub-rule (2) of Rule 103 and to allow him to table the resolution under Rule 211. The speaker allowed him to move the motion, which was carried unanimously.

The resolution recalled that under Article 41 of the Constitution, the Sindh Assembly was a part of the electoral college for the election of the president. “Notwithstanding the Sindh Assembly’s objection to the validity or legality of the elections held in October 2007 for the office of the president, the assembly is of the view that Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf is unfit to hold the office of the president by virtue of being guilty of violating the Constitution and of gross misconduct on the grounds that:

i) He subverted the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan twice by holding it in abeyance;

ii) He has violated and undermined the Constitution and derailed the transition to democracy;

iii) In terms of Article 41(1) of the Constitution the office of the president represents the unity of the republic but he has violated the same and caused promotion of inter-provincial tension and a deepened sense of deprivation and denied provincial autonomy, thus leading to weakening the federation;

iv) “The policies pursued by him during the past eight years have brought Pakistan to the brink of a critical political and economic impasse. The incompetence and failures of his policies have plunged the country into the worst power shortage in its history and brought unprecedented misery upon the people;

And whereas his policies have paralysed the federation and eroded the trust of the nation in key national institutions, this assembly hereby calls upon Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf to take a vote of confidence from his electoral college or resign in terms of Article 44(3) of the Constitution. In case he fails to do so, this assembly calls upon and urges parliament to give notice of impeachment in accordance with Article 47 of the Constitution.”