Zardari's policies threat to democratic system: Nisar

The controversy over the appointment of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman took a new turn on Sunday when Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly questioned the consultation process adopted by the government and termed policies being pursued by President Asif Ali Zardari a threat to democratic system.
"President Asif Ali Zardari is a threat for democracy," said leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan while addressing a press conference.
Nisar expressed his apprehension, saying that President Zardari's decisions are planned to deteriorate situation to such a degree that there remain no option for political replacement of the system. He, however, made it clear that the PML-N had no ambition at all to engage the army in politics.
Chaudhry Nisar said that the government had overreacted over the decision of Supreme Court regarding appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah since detailed judgement containing reasons for the disapproval of the appointment had yet to come.
It is loathsome to say that Shah was not accepted as NAB Chairman because he was a Sindhi and said portrayal of appointment issue by the government in terms of provincialism had grave implications for the federation.
Referring to resolutions by the Sindh Assembly against the SC and leader of the opposition for filing petition in the SC, Nisar Ali Khan said it was bereft of MQM's support which indicates that Shah belong to the PPP and was not impartial.
He said that President, Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly were from Sindh and they had never raised any objection over them for being from Sindh.
"Those who claim themselves as Sindhi leaders were visiting their mansions in France and England when people of Sindh needed them during the devastating floods. However, whenever they feel the need to exploit they appear with Sindhi topi (cap) and Ajrak (cultural symbols of being a Sindhi)," which Nisar Ali Khan said was a disgrace to their culture.
It has been the first case in the history of the country that a government had given a protest call while forcing the people to obey, against a decision of judiciary, which resulted in loss of nine lives. "Those who gave the protest call are responsible for the killings," he added.
"The consultation on the appointment of the NAB chief is only possible in the backdrop of the Supreme Court's detailed ruling (on the removal of Deedar Hussain Shah)," said Nisar, adding the government wanted to compromise the position of independent judiciary for which the nation had sacrificed.
He also revealed that he had not received the consultation letter, a constitutional requirement for the appointment of NAB Chairman, sent by the presidency.
On Friday, after the apex court declared appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah as NAB chairman illegal, President Asif Zardari had written letters to the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar as part of the consultative process for his reappointment.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also rejected the notion that the process was being adopted by the government regarding appointment of NAB chairman of sending a letter to him as leader of the opposition was consultation as envisaged by the constitution.
"A consultation process is one in which a candidate is selected for the slot after discussion over some nomination. Consultation does not mean intimation through a letter," he added.
Equating President Zardari with former military dictator Gen. Parvez Musharraf (Retd) for his one point agenda of being in power at any cost, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that Zardari had been pursuing the same policy for last three years and for that matter his own party was on stake.
"Today Mr. Zardari has engaged the entire PPP on a mission of saving himself from the clutches of law for his past wrongdoing and Law Minister has no other job than to save Zardari," he added.
"He (Law Minister) cannot be declared a jiayala (a term used for die-hard supporters of PPP) but a knight of the President since he (Babar Awan) used to recite such poems against Zulfiqar Ali Bhuttoo in my election processions that we felt embarrassed," he said.
The President had made hostage democracy, supremacy of the constitution, rule of law and the entire country, which he said 'we cannot let it be the case'.
Referring to the rowdysm in Punjab Assembly with the consent of the President, by the members of PPP and PML-Q, he said their conduct was a disgrace to politics. However, he said, their cooperation and their late night meetings had been proved and were open secrete.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali reminded the PPP that it had dubbed the PML-Q as Qatil (Killer) League, lodged an FIR of Benazir Bhuttoo's murder against Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and had held Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi responsible for hanging of Zulfiqar Ali Bhuttoo. Similarly, he said that the PML-Q had termed the PPP an anti-Pakistan party.
"If President Zardari want to join hands with the PML-Q, he should tender applogy to the nation over the past statements," he said.