Party knows how to deal with dictator: Raja

LAHORE - Coming down hard on former President Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf and other opponents of Asif Ali Zardari, Senior Punjab Minister Raja Riaz Ahmad on Monday said hands trying to harm the president would be cut before they could reach their target.
Addressing an anti-Musharraf demonstration held outside the Press Club, and organised by PPPs Parliamentary Party in Punjab Assembly, the senior minister said that PPP was a democratic party and it knew how to deal with dictators like Musharraf. He said people like him (Musharraf) had nothing to do with peoples interest and their sole agenda was to remain in power. Provincial ministers belonging to the PPP, Dr Tanveer-ul-Islam, Farooq Ghurki, MPAs Sajida Mir, Dr Aamina Butter and Shaukat Bora were present on the occasion besides Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan, Naveed Chaudhry and Munir Ahmad Khan. A good number of PPP workers also took part in the demonstrations, who were carrying banners and placards inscribed with anti-Musharraf slogans. They were demanding trial of the former president under Article 6 of the Constitution. To give vent to their anger against former dictators objectionable remarks about President Zardari, the PPP workers also burnt an effigy of Pervez Musharraf while chanting slogans in favour of Asif Ali Zardari.
Raja Riaz Ahmad said Zardari was a democratically elected President of Pakistan and the dictator had no right to level baseless allegations against him. He said masses fully supported the president and they will never spare Musharraf for his outbursts against their leader. The senior minister also led the procession, and took part in putting on fire an effigy of Pervez Musharraf. Workers of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance also took part in the demonstration. They were carrying black flags to register their protest.
Meanwhile, leaders of labour organisations affiliated with the PPP have appealed to the president and the chief justice of Supreme Court to take action against the former President Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf for violation of Article 6 of the Constitution.
In an open letter, the PPP trade union leaders including partys federal council member Abdul Qadir Shaheen, have urged the president and the chief justice to take suo moto notice to initiate action against Pervez Musharraf for spreading anarchy, corruption and price hike during his nine years rule. They said due to follies and ill-conceived policies of Musharraf, the country was passing through crucial period of history and action against him was necessary so that no military general could dare to overthrow the democratic government in future.