The Hindu : Pak. opposition steps up campaign against Musharraf

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

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International

Pak. opposition steps up campaign against Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD June 19. As the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, reached the United States for his `hour of glory' (summit with the U.S. President, George Bush, at Camp David on June 24), political parties within Pakistan have stepped up their campaign against him. They have been openly urging the West not to accord him the status of a President.

The Muttahida-e-Majlis-Amal (MMA), alliance of six religious parties, today decided to submit a no-trust motion against the Speaker of the National Assembly, Amir Hussain, for his ruling earlier this week declaring Musharraf laws as valid.

Like the rest of the Opposition, leaders of religious parties are livid with Mr. Hussain for conferring `legitimacy' on the controversial amendments of Gen. Musharraf to the Constitution and his decision to continue as Army chief as well as President.

Last week, the MMA had urged the leaders of the four countries being visited by Gen. Musharraf to treat him only as an Army chief and not to accord him the protocol reserved for the head of the state. Of course, it was meant for internal consumption as the MMA and other political leaders are fully conscious of the fact that Washington invited Gen. Musharraf ignoring the domestic factors.

Benazir appeals to U.S.

The former Pakistan Prime Minister and chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto, who has campaigning against Gen. Musharraf for several months has asked the United States to review its relationship with Gen. Musharraf. She has argued that he was not able to contain the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban from re-grouping in Pakistan.

In an interview to BBC, Ms. Bhutto said that under the Musharraf rule, the Al-Qaeda grew and attacked the twin towers of the World Trade Center in the U.S. and despite the recent crackdown, both the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regrouped in Pakistan and attacked coalition forces in Afghanistan.

``I would like Washington to review its close relationship with Gen. Musharraf. It is under Gen. Musharraf's watch that the Al-Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center. I am not saying he had something to do with it, mind you, but I am saying that it is under his watch that the Al-Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center.''

Ms. Bhutto said, "Gen. Musharraf promised to stop the Al-Qaeda fleeing into Pakistan. They fled into Pakistan and they are still being caught. It is under his watch that the defeated Taliban have re-grouped and are attacking international peacekeepers in Afghanistan to drive them out of that country''.

She alleged that the U.S. support for Gen. Musharraf could weaken the country's political opposition.

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