Country’s representation by Musharraf questioned
ISLAMABAD, June 24: Gen Pervez Musharraf has no legal or constitutional right to represent Pakistan and take important decisions during his ongoing visit to the United States.
This was stated by Pakistan Muslim League (N)’s acting president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi while briefing reporters after a meeting of the party’s central working committee and parliamentary group held at the residence of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz here on Tuesday.
MNA Tehmina Daultana and the party’s information secretary Siddiqul Farooq were also present on the occasion.
The meeting, he said, made it clear that any agreement or commitment made by Gen Musharraf at Camp David would have no legal or constitutional value.
He said: “Gen Musharraf’s widely reported hints about recognition of Israel and an unjust solution of Kashmir issue have given rise to suspicions about his intentions.”
He added: “These suspicions are strengthened by his track record of taking unilateral decisions while keeping the nation in the dark.”
The PML-N acting chief said the meeting demanded that the question of initiating any relationship with Israel, or any possible settlement of the Kashmir issue must be presented in parliament for an open debate, so that policy decisions could be made in the light of elected people’s opinion.
The meeting warned the “foreign hosts of Gen Musharraf” that his repeated references to “dangers of fundamentalism” in Pakistan were only to seek support of the world community for his “unconstitutional and dictatorial rule,” he added.
He said: “Pakistan is, and has always been, a moderate Muslim country as is evident from the fact that moderate political parties, including the PML-N, enjoy the support of an overwhelming majority of voters in the country. It is, therefore, a flagrant lie that Pakistan is in danger of being ruled by extremists.”
Mr Hashmi even termed the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal an alliance of moderate parties.
The meeting, through a resolution, “condemned Gen Musharraf’s continuing rule,” which it said he had tried to strengthen with a “fake referendum, engineered elections and by establishing a puppet government.”
The resolution said Musharraf’s rule had resulted in “widespread lawlessness” and had ruined the national economy. The PML-N leader also opposed the idea of sending troops to Iraq without UN approval.
He said the meeting had also condemned “harassment of the family of PML-N vice-president Ejaz Shafi” in Karachi. “The meeting warns if any harm is done to the family of Mr Shafi and other PML-N leaders,” then the Sindh governor would be held responsible.