We are demoralising our leaderless army : Benazir

Islamabad, Nov 10: Former Prime Minster Benazir Bhutto has said if Pakistan is to be saved from the fate of Iraq it is necessary that democracy is restored in the country.

She said that Pakistan was under grave threat as there is no writ of the state in some tribal agencies and now also in parts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

"The flag of Pakistan has been lowered in Kalam, Madyan and other areas of the Frontier' she said, adding "we cannot sit back and watch silently the disintegration of the state."

Bhutto said that claims that suicide bombers have entered the twin cities, if it is right then why they are not being arrested. She said one Muslim is killing the other Muslim in Waziristan and we do not want to spread it to other areas of the country.

She said the extremists reach Bajaur, Swat and even the Lal Masjid in the federal capital and are spreading throughout the country but they are not arrested.

Bhutto said that the army is leaderless as its chief is officiating as 'President'. "I think we are demoralising our leaderless army when we ask them to fight against terrorists in the tribal areas and in Balochistan," she added.

Bhutto said the government had paralysed the routine activities due to her public rally as all the main roads leading to Rawalpindi were blocked and a large number of PPP workers were being arrested.

"I was not served with any detention order but stopped illegally and illegal restrictions were put on my movement in the country as I had tried to reach Liaquat Bagh. I have come to the field and I am not afraid of any body except Allah. I am ready to render any sacrifice for democracy," she said.

Bhutto said she was aware of the threat to her personal security, but the threat to the future of the country was even greater and that was why she had come out in the open to fight for the peoples' democratic rights.

She addressed the police personnel from a megaphone atop her vehicle urging them to vacate and let her go.

She said that her father had sacrificed his life for the sake of democracy and the poor people of Pakistan and that she and her party were carrying forward that mission.

Earlier, Bhutto was unable to address the planned public meeting at Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh on Friday as the administrations of the twin-cities effectively blocked all the roads leading to the venue.

The government had put Bhutto under house arrest for three days under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), but later the detention order was withdrawn late Friday night, The News reported.

ANI>