M A I N   N E W S

It’s unfortunate: Commonwealth

London, June 20
Britain and the Commonwealth today termed as “unfortunate” and a “setback” to democracy Pakistan’s military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf’s decision to appoint himself President and dissolve the national and provincial Assemblies.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who had only last week emphasised the need for the restoration of democracy during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Abdul Sattar, said: “I was deeply concerned to hear that Gen Musharraf has dissolved suspended Assemblies and assumed the Presidency.”

“There is bound to be widespread anxiety that this represents a setback in the transition to elected democracy. It is all the more important now for Pakistan to proceed quickly with multi-party national and provincial elections within a clear constitutional framework,” Mr Straw said.

Stating that he had underlined the importance of early elections during his talks with Mr Sattar, Mr Straw said: “We will continue to take all opportunities to emphasise this point to the Pakistani authorities.”

Expressing disappointment over Gen Musharraf’s decisions, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said: “I consider these steps to be unfortunate”.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani political leaders and lawyers community today flayed as illegal and unconstitutional Gen Pervez Musharraf’s decision to become the country’s President.

They also slammed the unceremonial removal of President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, 18 months before the expiry of his five-year tenure.

Mr Tarar had not been given any notice, nor was he asked to continue his Presidency for an interim period, said Qazi Husain Ahmed, chief of the country’s main Islamic party, Jamaat-i-Islami.

“The manner adopted in removing President Rafiq Tarar amounts to disrespect to the institution of President,” he said.

Gen Musharraf’s move has been seen as an attempt to bolster his legitimacy ahead of next month’s summit with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Qazi Ahmed indicated that his party understood this concern but added: “Nonetheless the step taken by Gen Musharraf lacked legal and constitutional backing.”

Mr Rashid Rizvi, president of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, termed Gen Musharraf’s assumption of Presidency as “illegal and unconstitutional.”

“They have gone beyond the scope of Supreme Court judgement,” he said.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court last year ruled that the military coup which brought Gen Musharraf to power in 1999 had been legitimate but insisted that democracy be rested by the third anniversary of the coup on October 12, 2002.

Former high court Judge Shafi Mohammadi also termed the General’s act illegal. PTI, AFP