KARACHI, Dec 21: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy leaders on Sunday launched a campaign against President Gen Musharraf, rejecting any deal on the LFO.

They demanded that Article 6 of the Constitution be invoked against the General for removing what they called a constitutional government.

In hard hitting speeches at Kakri ground, the leaders vowed to continue struggle against what they called dictatorial rule, and for the supremacy of the Constitution and rights of the people.

A large number of political activists, mainly belonging to the PPP, had converged on the famous Lyari ground carrying party flags and portraits of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

It was after a long time that such a rally was held here. The participants had come in processions from different parts of the city.

The ground echoed with frequent slogans of “Go Musharraf, go” and “No LFO, no”. The ARD leaders criticized Gen Musharraf for his recent remarks on Kashmir.

The rally also endorsed resolutions which called for invoking Article 6 of the Constitution against Gen Pervez Musharraf and those who abetted in his Oct 12, 1999, takeover.

It also resolved that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were endangered by the regime’s policies. It also demanded that Asif Zardari, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and other detained leaders be immediately released and all “fake cases” against them be withdrawn.

Chairman of the ARD Makhdoom Amin Fahim lashed out at the regime for “defacing the 1973 Constitution” for perpetuating one man’s rule and declared that the people of Pakistan do not accept military rule.

He said that owing to such attempts by the military rulers, the country was once again faced with a serious constitutional crisis.

Mr Fahim said that Pakistan was created through a people’s struggle and not by the generals who had trampled on the constitution and democratic dispensation many times.

The ARD chief said that the alliance was opposed to the LFO because it was opposed to any individual’s right to usurp power.

He said that people had great expectations from the judiciary but when they could not get any protection from the courts while their rights were usurped, they got resentful.

He declared that those judges who had validated the military takeover under the law of necessity, should either publicly tender apology to the people of Pakistan or face charges under the relevant article of the Constitution for violating their oath.

He alleged that corrupt people had been inducted in the federal cabinet though cases against them were pending with the NAB. He said that the regime was invoking NAB to seek cooperation of the corrupt or to suppress the voice of dissent.

He also criticized the government’s policy of not allowing Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif to return to the country. He said the people of Pakistan wanted them to return and they would bring them back with their power.

He also criticized the regime for rendering more people unemployed, making their life insecure and forcing them to commit suicide.

He assured that when the PPP government would come to power, it would restore all those who had been thrown out of job. He said the ARD was struggling for the rights of the people.

Tahmina Daultana of the PML-N accused the regime of a sellout on Kashmir and declared that people would resist further attempts at suppressing them with the help of the gun. When she said that the military had no right to rule, she was supported by the people who had gathered in Kakri ground.

Sindh PPP president Nisar Khuhro also took a hard line and declared that the people would continue to resist one man’s rule and the LFO through which rights of the people were being suppressed.

He also reiterated ARD’s stand on the LFO and declared that “no deal would be binding on us.” He also referred to the policies of the regime which he said had generated misunderstanding among the provinces.

He said the gathering constituted a no-confidence in the regime’s policies and the generals must see the writing on the wall.

Nawabzada Mansoor Ali Khan, chief of the PDP, criticized the regime for what he called “submitting to the US” against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, allowing the US air space and bases on Pakistani territory and becoming part of the international campaign of which Israel was a linchpin.

He said in such a situation the people of Pakistan had the right to ask how safe the strategic assets of the country were.

He also accused Gen Musharraf of giving in on Kashmir to the advantage of India. He said that Quaid-i-Azam had termed Kashmir Pakistan’s jugular vein but Gen Musharraf had even negated that.

Maimoona Hashmi, MNA, daughter of the interned ARD president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, also slammed the regime for suppressing the voice of dissent, and trampling the constitutional rule and the democratic dispensation.

She lauded the people for their struggle for supremacy of parliament.

She said that political parties wanted the institution of the military to be strong and do the job for which it had been created. A violation of it was punishable under Article six of the Constitution.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah warned that if the people were denied their rights and oppressive measures were adopted against them, they would rise in revolt.