Opposition Parties Call For Boycott Of Musharraf Referendum

Musharraf seeking the vote of the “silent majority”

ISLAMABAD, April 7 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Pakistani opposition groups were mustering support Sunday, April 7, for a mass boycott of General Pervez Musharraf's coming referendum on extending his presidency as the military leader launched his own campaign, news agencies reported.

A coalition of opposition parties has pledged to defy a ban on public political assemblies to launch a series of spoiler rallies to scupper Musharraf's attempts to win backing in the referendum he announced Friday, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"We reject the extra-constitutional referendum and we have decided to boycott it," the head of the 15-party Alliance for Democratic Reform (ARD), Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, told reporters after a meeting in Islamabad.

"We will hold public rallies at the same venues as General Musharraf to present our point of view to the people of Pakistan. It is our basic right and the military government will have no right to stop us from doing so."

Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and made himself president last June, wants public approval to prolong his leadership by five years, insisting he needs more time to implement political and economic reforms.

The referendum is scheduled for the first week in May, ahead of general elections planned for October.

On Saturday, the president addressed hundreds of elected local government leaders, launching his own campaign to spur voters into backing him through the referendum. "A positive vote will strengthen my hands and gives me greater confidence to serve the country and the people," an official quoted him as saying at the gathering.

But the referendum has already sparked widespread condemnation by political and religious groups who say the move is unconstitutional. The Commonwealth has also given a cool response to the move.

They only said that the Pakistani leader had not warned them about his plans in advance. "The road map did not include provision for such a referendum," said Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon in London, referring to a plan Musharraf announced last year outlining a path to restoring democracy.

"While we are awaiting further details, the holding of a referendum on the extension of General Musharraf's term in office would therefore not appear to be in keeping with the roadmap announced by him."

The Pakistan People's Party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a leading member of the ARD coalition, has already launched its own counter-campaign, attempting to rally opposition behind the slogan "go Musharraf go, no Musharraf no".

"In rejecting him through vote or boycott, as directed by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, the people could turn the tables on the military dictator," Bhutto said in a statement.

The Pakistan Muslim League of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has pledged to boycott the vote, although a breakaway Muslim League faction of former cabinet ministers has announced its backing for Musharraf.

Sharif, who was ousted in the coup and later exiled to Saudi Arabia, and Bhutto, who fled Pakistan in 1998 just before her conviction on corruption charges, have been barred from Pakistani politics due to allegations of impropriety.

A separate coalition of Pakistan's main religious parties has also vowed to boycott the referendum.

The head of the leading fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami party, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the move.

In Friday's 105-minute televised address, Musharraf outlined his far-reaching plans for Pakistan under which he pledged to create an "essence of democracy".

He also vowed to undertake sweeping constitutional reforms, creating a democratic system of "checks and balances" which he would oversee to prevent "impulsive" governments.

Analysts said Musharraf was confident of his support among ordinary people as well as in the international community, where he has silenced concerns about his military takeover with tough action against terrorism. "The general has succeeded in winning the majority of the people, what he calls the silent majority, in his favor," wrote political analyst Rasul Bakhsh Rais in the News daily.

"It is quite apparent from the public mood that they want stability, peace and economic revival more than the clamoring for democratic rule."

It was to the common people of Pakistan that Musharraf directed his words during his 105-minute speech to the nation late Friday. "I want you, the people of Pakistan to tell me whether I am required or not," he said as he outlined plans for sweeping constitutional reforms to create a democratic system of "checks and balances" with himself at the apex.

"I have self-confidence but when you tell me, my confidence will grow. I want your power, the power of 140 million people."

General Musharraf, who presented the speech wearing a medal-studded military uniform, seized power in a bloodless coup in October 1999 and proclaimed himself president in June last year.

"I don't care. At least he's better than the political parties," said Amir Hussain, 30, a shoe-shiner working in one of Islamabad's main markets.

"I'm sitting here in a very good spot but if there was a political government someone would have told me to move away. Life is very tough for us but do we have any other choice?"

But others said Musharraf was able to consolidate his power only with the support of the United States, which owed the general a debt for his cooperation with the war against terrorism.

"He's a puppy of Uncle Sam," said Akthar Ali, 42, a legal aide and a conservative Muslim.

"The referendum is meant to prolong his rule because the Americans want him to stay. He's an agent of foreign powers."

Musharraf made little reference to foreign policy in his speech, saying the referendum would "bring self-confidence and moral ascendancy that the people of Pakistan are with me".

Musharraf was appointed Pakistan's army chief by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in October 1998 following the resignation of General Jahangir Karamat, who quit amid an uproar in Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League over his criticism of Sharif's government.

But the relationship between Sharif and the by-then pillar of Pakistan's military establishment remained tense, particularly over the government's handling of the Kashmir conflict with India.

The relationship deteriorated permanently in early 1999 when Musharraf was unceremoniously dismissed by Sharif. The general struck back, ordering the army to surround the prime minister's residence and seize control of airports and other key installations.

The general subsequently imposed a nationwide state of emergency, suspended parliament and the constitution, and declared himself "chief executive".

Sharif was convicted on hijacking charges in April last year, sentenced to life imprisonment, and barred for 21 years from holding public office for corruption. He was later pardoned and sent into exile.