The Hindu : 15 Pak. parties reject referendum outcome

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 05, 2002

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15 Pak. parties reject referendum outcome

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD May 4. The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), a conglomerate of 15 Pakistani political parties, today rejected the outcome of the April 30 presidential referendum as a "complete farce" and criticised the Pakistan Chief Election Commissioner for his alleged crude attempt to give it a certificate of legitimacy.

The ARD declared that it would not recognise Pervez Musharraf as Pakistan President and no leader of any of the constituents would meet him on any issue other than for "restoration of democracy".

An extraordinary meeting of the ARD under the chairmanship of the octogenarian political leader, Nawabzada Nasrulluah Khan, authorised him to contact all like-minded parties, organisations and other bodies for holding of an all-party conference to discuss the future course of action.

Alleging that the referendum figures put out by the Election Commission were blatantly false, the meeting adopted a resolution expressing total "lack of confidence" in the Election Commission and demanded the constitution of a new "independent and impartial" Election Commission in consultation with major political parties.``The present regime has wasted public funds in billions through various departments and local government on staging the farce referendum for the prolongation of unconstitutional role (of Gen. Musharraf) beyond the three-year period allowed to him by the Supreme Court of Pakistan," the resolution said.

Significantly, there was no reference in the resolutions of the meeting to the demand for the resignation of Gen. Musharraf and handing over of power to an interim government to ensure free and fair elections to the national and provincial assemblies.

The ARD demanded the immediate lifting of the ban on political activities to enable parties' approach the electorate freely. It also demanded the immediate release of all the leaders detained on the "pretext of fabricated cases" by the National Accountability Bureau and sought an immediate end to "politically motivated and selective accountability".

The Alliance said that leaders of major political parties like the Pakistan People's Party chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, and the Pakistan Muslim League President, Nawaz Sharif, should be allowed "safe passage" to Pakistan from exile and permitted to take part in elections.

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