Altaf asks Zardari & co to ‘make a sacrifice’ for sake of democracy, country

[Naveed Yaseen]

Mr President! It’s time: Altaf
* MQM chief advises president, aides to ‘make a sacrifice’ for sake of democracy, country
* MQM denies demanding Zardari’s resignation

Staff Report

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Monday advised President Asif Ali Zardari to “make a sacrifice” for the sake of country and the democratic system.

Later, clarifying his statement made in an interview aired by a private TV channel, Altaf said he had never asked President Zardari to resign.

“I did not talk about Zardari’s resignation in the entire interview. We are not against the Pakistan People’s Party or Zardari. The MQM is not responsible if our advice is misunderstood. Neither can the MQM become a party to legalising corruption through the assembly,” he told private TV channels.

According to a press release issued by the party, the MQM chief said he was against the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), however the party’s coordination committee would decide within two to four days whether MQM lawmakers in the National Assembly would oppose the NRO or not.

The party’s decision would be according to the aspirations of the people of Pakistan and the MQM manifesto, he said.

Therefore, he said that during their meeting with President Zardari, MQM leaders had advised him not to bring the NRO in the National Assembly.

“I appeal to the president, his friends and loyalists not to derail democracy, and produce themselves before the people to save the system, and tell them that they are not presenting the NRO in the assembly,” he said.

Denial: In a separate development, an MQM delegation, led by Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Farooq Sattar, called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and informed him that MQM chief Altaf Hussain had not issued any statement asking the president to resign.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg1_5