The Hindu : International : Protests against Musharraf's decision

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 02, 2005

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International

Protests against Musharraf's decision

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JAN. 1. The "black day" call given by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) — an alliance of six religious parties of Pakistan — in protest against the decision of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, to continue as the Army Chief, appears to have evoked little interest.

The alliance held rallies in major cities and towns across the country. However, reports from different parts of the country said there was little public enthusiasm. Organisers blamed the low turnout on the severe winter rains.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, said the protest was a total flop. Mr. Ahmed said it demonstrated how Gen. Musharraf's uniform was not an issue of concern to people.

Around 400 people, some wearing black arm bands and carrying black banners, attended a rally in Multan with leaders of the MMA and criticised Gen. Musharraf for not abiding by his pledge. "Musharraf has broken his promise, we will not accept his decision to retain the post of army chief," the local MMA leader, Hidayatullah Pasruri, told the gathering.

Opposition reservation

The MMA had invited other mainstream Opposition parties to unite for a combined action. However, the Opposition parties under the banner of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), have reservations in teaming with the religious parties.

The ARD leaders believe that the MMA bailed out Gen. Musharraf last year by endorsing his controversial amendments to the Constitution as well as ratifying his election as President through a referendum. In return, Gen. Musharraf had promised to quit the Army.

In his address on Thursday night, Gen. Musharraf accused the MMA of having gone back on its promises to allow the s0mooth functioning of the Government and said that after their betrayal, he was under no obligation to doff his uniform. He blamed the Opposition parties of being disruptive and asserted that his staying on as the Army chief was not an issue of concern for common people.

Differences in MMA

It appears that there are differences within the MMA constituents on the uniform issue. While the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) favours an all-out confrontation, others, like the Jamaat-e-Ulema Islamia (JUI) led by Fazul-ur-Rehman, believe such an attitude would only lead to the dissolution of the National and provincial assemblies.

It was certainly not a coincidence when the Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, invited the Leader of the Opposition and the JUI for a dialogue all on issues, including the uniform, a day before Gen. Musharraf declared his decision to stay on as Army Chief. Though the dialogue did not produce any results, it has only sharpened the divide within the religious alliance.

The mainstream Opposition might find it difficult to mobilise popular support against the uniform issue, as the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League are both in disarray.

Hours after Gen. Musharraf's address, Ms. Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, left for Dubai to join his wife and family. Mr. Zardari, who was behind bars in a number of cases for over eight years, was released on the basis of bail granted by a court.

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