ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: Civil society organisations (CSOs) and political parties continued to condemn the proclamation of emergency, removal of judges by Gen Pervez Musharraf and demanded immediate withdrawal of “all extra-constitutional measures” and restoration of people’s fundamental rights.

Chief of National Workers Party (NWP) and renowned constitutional expert Abid Hassan Minto while speaking at a party meeting here on Monday said the imposition of emergency had exposed the true face of dictatorship.

He said the military rulers were only interested in following the agenda of their foreign masters and taking every step in that direction.

Mr Minto said today the struggle against the military dictatorship was the only criterion to judge patriotism of an individual.

He said the ruling ‘mafia’ had miserably failed in handling the situation and was employing dictatorial means to bring under control the unrest in Balochistan and Waziristan. The result being insecurity all across the country, where the life and property of an ordinary citizen were not safe, he added.

He said the NWP would continue its support to the pro- democracy forces fighting for the rule of law and restoration of the constitution. Mr Minto was confident that a concerted movement against the martial law would be launched soon.

PPP: Information Secretary of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sherry Rehman, in her statement, denounced the mass arrests of political activists, leaders, lawyers, human rights activists and the members of the civil society.

Ms Rehman said the mass detention campaign launched by the government marked the height of state brutality. “The entire country is at a standstill thanks to the self-imposed rulers, who have ridiculously imposed a martial law on their own regime,” she added.

Ms Rehman said there was no doubt that the “draconian martial law was a slap on the nation’s face to satisfy one man’s desire to avoid an adverse reaction from the Supreme Court against his eligibility in office.”

Deputy Information Secretary of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Munir Ahmed Khan, in his statement, termed the decision of imposing emergency illegal and unconstitutional and “an attempt by a dismissed general to continue his illegal and unconstitutional rule.”

“The action should be universally condemned and the generals in Pakistan should be forced to end their stranglehold on the country,” he said.

FAFEN: The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen), a coalition of 30 leading Pakistani CSOs, in a statement says the country is now being governed under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) devised by the chief of the army staff and therefore, Pakistan is under a “de facto martial law.”

Fafen sees a clear mala fide in the proclamation of emergency, as the country’s Supreme Court (SC) was set to give its judgment on petitions regarding the candidature of Gen Musharraf for the presidential election.

The oath-taking of new chief justice is only indicative of the fact that the general was concerned about the independent posturing of the judiciary.

It said Gen Musharraf’s step had jeopardised the democratic rights of the people and it would erode the credibility of the institution of the military and aggravate political instability in the country. It urged all political forces and civil society to reject “de facto martial law” and demanded immediate restoration of the rule of the constitution and law.

CPDI: The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) in a separate statement condemned the proclamation of emergency and termed it a sheer violation of the judgment given by seven SC judges scrapping the chief of army staff’s order.

“It is a matter of serious concern that a general can act with such impunity that he can suspend the constitution, deprive the people of their fundamental rights and sack judges of the superior courts, who dared to work honestly, professionally and independently.

“No one in his or her right mind accepts the justification given in favour of the proclamation of the so-called emergency. It is not meant to fight terrorism. Its primary objective is to perpetuate military rule under Gen Musharraf, who has miserably failed in providing security to the people of Pakistan and whose rule has so far witnessed the rise of the worst kind of militancy, extremism and civil strife in Pakistan,” it said.