Asif Ali Zardari's statement that the army has an unavoidable role in politics violates the three-point agreement signed between Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) president, and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leadership to restore democracy in Pakistan, said Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the MMA president. He said that it appeared as if Zardari would replace Fahim as the president of the PPPP. He asked why Fahim had signed the agreement with the MMA when he knew that Zardari was holding talks with the military-led establishment.
He reiterated that President General Pervez Musharraf should quit his offices of president and chief of army staff, which he had occupied unconstitutionally. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Ahmed said that the MMA would launch a rally from Lahore to Gujranwala if the government did not release MNA Qazi Hameedullah and party workers detained in connection with the Gujranwala mini-marathon and April 2 strike. Asked why the MMA opposed the PPPP's initiative of talks with the government when it had itself negotiated with the government and signed the 17th Amendment, Ahmed said that the MMA had made a mistake and the PPPP should not follow suit because Gen Musharraf never honours his word. |