The Hindu : Pak. parties attack referendum move

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 05, 2002

International

International

Pak. parties attack referendum move

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD April 4. As the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, gears up to address the people of his country tomorrow at 8.30 p.m. (IST) on his referendum plan, all the mainstream and religious parties have decided to oppose tooth and nail any intention of Gen. Mushrraf to get himself a mandate through the exercise for a further term of five years as President.

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) led by the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, set the ball rolling for mobilisation of support from all and sundry to oppose the referendum plan. Gen. Musharraf on his part took the initiative to invite leaders of all the major religious parties for an interaction on Saturday.

A meeting of the Central Working Committee of the PML dubbed the referendum move as `illegal and unconstitutional' and vowed to work with all like-minded parties to stall it. The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) — an umbrella outfit of 18 parties, including the PML and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by Benazir Bhutto — has already expressed its opposition.

However, managers of the Musharraf administration are not perturbed over the reaction from the parties and the media. Their contention is that the people of Pakistan are with Gen. Musharraf and the opinion of `drawing room netas' does not count.

They argue that the two mainstream parties are headed by `corrupt leaders' (Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif) and are thoroughly discredited in the eyes of the people. Ms. Bhutto and Mr. Sharif are in exile. As for the religious parties, the logic is that in no election have they polled more than ten per cent votes.

At the same time it appears that Gen. Musharraf is not taking any chances vis-a-vis the religious parties. In what is seen as a bid to placate them, the General has invited the alliance of religious parties for an interactive session on Saturday. By then a clear picture on the nature of the referendum would be clear.

Most of the small parties, including the factions of the Muslim League, have enthusiastically endorsed the referendum proposal. It is certainly not a coincidence that Gen. Musharraf `s interaction in the last few days on his referendum plans have been confined mostly to those who are in favour of it.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

Delhi, Bangkok to review ties

Israeli forces storm church?

LTTE for levying entry tax on Jaffna highway

E.U. for new mediation strategy in West Asia

Hekmatyar behind plot?

Sri Lanka to bring in amendment for `conscience voting'

Crime rates dominate French poll

India, Pak. must move to ease tension: U.S.

France moots international peace force

Wiranto defends troops' actions in E. Timor

Russia raps Israel

Pak. parties attack referendum move