Country can't be run by 'power of gun': Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked the people to launch a struggle against military ruler General Pervez Musharraf as the country cannot be governed by 'power of gun'.

Sharif spoke to a crowd of over 8,000 people by telephone in the garrison city of Rawalpindi late Tuesday. The rally had been organised by All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), comprising all leading opposition parties except Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).       

This was Sharif's first political address in Pakistan since he was ousted in a bloodless coup by Gen Musharraf in 1999.

''This is an insult to democracy and 160 million people of Pakistan that we are celebrating our 60th independence day under a military dictator,'' he said, asking people to launch a struggle to oust Musharraf.

''We have to decide now that the job of the army is to defend country's frontiers and not to form or run governments,'' he added.

Sharif, who has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging his seven-year exile, ridiculed Gen Musharraf for being submissive to the US.

''An army commando, who starts shivering on receiving a telephone call from the US has no right to rule the country,'' he said amid thunderous applause by people.

Recalling May 1998 nuclear tests by his government, he said he had refused to accept former US President Bill Clinton's request that Islamabad should not go nuclear.

''But, this decision strengthened the country's defence and India, which was increasingly getting hostile, had to revise its policy,'' Sharif asserted.

It was only after these nuclear tests that Indian Prime Minister came to Pakistan, visited Minar-e-Pakistan and signed Lahore declaration, he added.

''We must establish a rule of law, constitution and democracy in the country to undo the damages caused by military dictators,'' he emphasised.

Meanwhile, the central leadership of APDM, while holding military dictators responsible for all the setbacks the country as well as the people of Pakistan had gone through, unanimously demanded ouster of Gen Pervez Musharraf, setting up of an independent Election Commission, holding of free and fair elections and smooth transfer of powers to the public representatives.

The APDM leadership pledged to launch joint struggle for the restoration of 1973 Constitution, confining the military to its professional duties, establishing the public rule and settling all other issues.

It was the maiden public meeting arranged through the platform of APDM, since its inception in London. And, for the first time in the history of the country, the leaders of nationalist parties and members of the PONEM addressed the gathering.

The anti-Musharraf sentiments ran very high at the rally as participants repeatedly chanted slogans of "Go Musharraf Go, Give a final push to the crumbling wall, death to Musharraf".

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad said the people of Pakistan would not accept elections under the Gen Musharraf or any other dictator and no one could stop them from snatching back their constitutional rights from the dictators.

The Nation newspaper quoted him as telling the rally that they would march on the Federal Capital for acceptance of their demands and sought pledge from the people standing in the arena, who assured him all the support with one voice.

He said the solution to all the problems was the enforcement of 1973 constitution in its true spirit, vowing their struggle would continue till this goal was achieved.