ISLAMABAD, 3 July 2006 — In a surprising move all legislators and ministers belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami handed in their resignations to the party chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, yesterday.
The JI consultative council meeting discussed political situation in the country and decided that all the legislators of the party would submit their resignations to enable the party chief to deal with the situation. Thereafter the deputies from the Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies handed in their resignations to the Jamaat chief.
Ministers who belong to the Jamaat-e-Islami in the NWFP Cabinet include Maulana Sirajul Haq, Hussain Ahmad Kanju, Fazal-e-Rabbani, Raja Faisal Zaman, Hafiz Hashmat Khan and Kashif Azam.
Later speaking to journalists, the Jamaat chief said, “We have taken this initiative to prevent President Gen. Pervez Musharraf from getting re-elected by the same electoral college. We have also informed the parties in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) of our decision.” ARD parties at their meeting in London yesterday also pored over the political situation in Pakistan.
To a question about the differences among the parties in the Muttaheda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) over the re-election of Musharraf as president, Qazi said, “Let others decide on their own.” Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a party in the MMA, led by Fazlur Rahman has not yet publicly opposed Musharraf’s re-election.
Qazi said his party was firm on opposing Musharraf seeking another term as president.
The objective of the campaign is to remove Gen. Musharraf and establish an interim government, Qazi said reiterating his party’s demand that an impartial chief election commissioner be appointed to ensure fair polls.
Responding to another question he said, “We oppose Gen. Musharraf because he is only serving the interests of the United States. We oppose military actions in Balochisan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.”
Qazi said, “Soon we will launch a countrywide movement against Gen. Musharraf and we hope to have the support of ARD parties.”
Under the Constitution of Pakistan a presidential candidate has to be backed by the full electoral college. If the electoral college is not complete, the president cannot be elected. The electoral college comprises the National Assembly, the Senate and the four provincial assemblies.
Dozens of lawmakers and provincial government ministers from the Jamaat protested yesterday against Musharraf, demanding the military leader step down. Chanting “Musharraf! Resign!” about 30 lawmakers, Cabinet ministers from the North West Frontier Province and about 100 Jamaat supporters staged the protest in a traffic intersection in downtown Islamabad.
On the other hand, Musharraf’s supporters are upbeat. “We will have Gen. Musharraf re-elected by the same assemblies,” said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi at a reception in Rawalpindi yesterday.
