Musharraf supporting extremist elements to save his uniform: ANP

Pakistans Awami National Party (ANP) has accused President General Pervez Musharraf of supporting extremist and fascist elements in the country in a bid to save his uniform.

Lahore, May 31 : Pakistan's Awami National Party (ANP) has accused President General Pervez Musharraf of supporting extremist and fascist elements in the country in a bid to save his uniform.

"The dictator (Musharraf) is supporting the extremist and fascist elements to save his skin (uniform)," the Daily Times quoted the ANP's central Deputy General Secretary, Haji Muhammad Adeel, as saying at a press conference.

Adeel blamed the military government of marring the civil institutions by interfering in every affair of the country, including the judiciary. He said the assemblies were made ineffective, but the extremist and fascist elements were fanning hatred under the shenanigans of the government.

Referring to the May 12 Karachi violence, he said, "We have no linguistic conflict with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), but a political conflict, as they are using force to support the dictator," adding that Karachi is a multi-national city, and not a property of a single group.

He went on to say that the military government had earned a bad name for the country and added: "The army should go back to its barracks as politics is not its job."

Stating that the government's poor policies had weakened the federation, ANP general secretary Ehsan Wain, who was also present at the press conference, demanded Musharraf's resignation.

"General Musharraf should resign and an independent Election Commission should be set up to conduct free and fair elections," he said.

"The military spending should be minimised, as we don't want an arms race, but peace," Wain added.

ANI