ARD likely to launch campaign

The chief of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, believes democracy has not yet been restored in the country and further efforts are required to ensure its return.

At a meeting of the alliance in Lahore, he said the ARD would chalk out the future course of action, which may include a countrywide campaign for the restoration of democracy.

He also said that a decision on the future role and composition of the ARD would be taken at this meeting.

While talking to newsmen in Lahore, soon after his return from his native village of Khangarh in the southern Punjab, the octogenarian politician said none of the previous military regimes had so 'shamelessly' meddled in the political affairs as did the present one.

He said the "adventurers-in-uniform" might have had varying abilities but they had a similar mindset with regard to concentration of powers in their hands.

The tone of Nasrullah's harsh attack on the regime indicated he was set to continue his opposition of the Musharraf government and make efforts to keep the ARD alive.

Sources close to Nasrullah say he has "persuaded senior leaders that the ARD needs to continue its efforts."

Commenting on the situation in Sindh, Nasrullah meanwhile said the majority party was denied the right to form government. He alleged that the deal to block the way of the majority party had been struck with an organisation "which had bathed the port city in blood".

He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had been a part of the ARD, but quit the alliance after developing differences over the key demand for restoration of the 1973 constitution. He stressed it was welcome to rejoin.

He lamented that protest rallies against the American war on Iraq were being held throughout the world, but Pakistan and its people had assumed the role of silent spectators.

The indications as such are that the ARD is set to resume its protests against the military regime within the coming months. This can do little to bolster faith that the present government will complete its tenure, with a recent press survey suggesting that only five per cent of people in major urban centres believe it will survive beyond 2003.

The opposition from the ARD as such comes as yet another threat to it and this vote of 'no-confidence' is significant as it suggests the Jamali government is being seen only as a continuation of the military regime with no democratic credentials of its own.