JEDDAH, 25 November 2003 — The bitterness among Pakistan’s political parties and their failure to cooperate on issues of national importance led to the military coups in Pakistan, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) parliamentary group has said.
Leading opposition figure Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who was in the Kingdom to perform Umrah, said on Sunday it was the uncooperative approach of the two leading parties — the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League — that provided the opportunity for the army to stage repeated coups in Pakistan.
But Amin Fahim hinted at a possible understanding between the two parties. “We have learned from the past and are now willing to join hands with all like-minded parties to provide an effective political system to the country. Our aim is to tirelessly strive for the restoration of democratic values in the country,” he said.
Talks are continuing among different groups to work toward an understanding and resolve the deadlock over the contentious issue of the Legal Framework Order (LFO), he said. The opposition is boycotting parliamentary proceedings over the LFO.
Amin Fahim denied there were differences among the opposition factions over the issue and downplayed the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s (MMA’s) recent gesture giving the government a month to resolve the LFO issue.
The opposition leader said the amendments to the constitution could only be made by the legislative body — the National Assembly. “Our demand is that the government should put the LFO up for discussion in Parliament,” he said.
“In principle the PPP does not support the LFO, and if it comes to the house for a vote, we will vote against it. But ... if it sails through the house we will accept it. We are committed to upholding democracy,” he said.
Senior PPP leaders Syed Khurshid Shah and Nisar Khoro were accompanying Amin Fahim.
