KARACHI: Veteran politician Sardar Sherbaz Khan Mazari has asked democratic forces in Pakistan to unite as the country is facing immense difficulties and serious problems of peace, poverty and price-hike and added that he sees a dangerous situation emerging in the country.

Sardar Mazari, who led the opposition parties Movement for Restoration of Democracy against Ziaul Haq`s martial law in the country, after a long period of his political hibernation because of his indisposition, was speaking as the chief guest at the Bacha Khan Amn conference here on Sunday.

The conference, which was held at the Karachi PressClub under the auspices of the Awami National Party (Wali) Sindh chapter to mark the 28th death anniversary of Bacha Khan, leader of the `Non-Violence Movement`, was also addressed by ANP-W chief Begum Nasim Wali Khan, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch of the National Party, Amir Nawab of Pukhtun Milli Awami Party, Ali Raza Abidi and Gul Faraz Khattak of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Orangzeb Kansi, Qamoos Gul Khattak, Lala Fazal Karim and Qasim Jan of the ANP-W.

Mr Mazari in his brief speech paid homage to his colleagues of theMRD movement, particularly Sardar Khair Bux Marri, Nawab Akbar Bugti, Sardar Attaullah Mangal and Begum Nasim Wali Khan, for their outstanding role in the movement.

He said he was disappointed to see that poor people in every part of the country remained deprived of the fruits of democracy.

Earlier, Begum Nasi Wali Khan, who was the focal person at the Amn conference, held subsequent rulers and establishment responsible for pushing the country into worst crisis by involving the country into the war of two big powers.

She said according to Islam Jehad could only be declared by the rulers and what was going on from past 15 to 20 years was not Jehad.The suicide attacks of Taliban in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the situation in Karachi was revenge of the treatment meted out to them in Punjab, she said.

She said they could only be defeated if all oppressed and small provinces and democratic forces got united and stood up to face the oppressive forces by the force of non-violence.

She said resolutions, speeches and meetings could not lead to success.

The powers that be were not prepared to accept majority which led to creation of Bangladesh, she added.

The minorities could only get themselves accepted by the establishment if they learnt toraise their head, she said.

She added that whatever was going in Karachi was regrettable where the Rangers were deployed to restore peace. But how long the paramilitary force would be handling the situation, as it was the responsibility of the government to restore peace, she said.

`We ought to thank the paramilitary force for discharging the duty of the government.

Begum Wall added that as there was a dire need for peace in Karachi, her party had organised this Bacha Khan peace conference to find a solution to the problem.

Resolutions By one of the resolutions adopted in the conference, con-cern was expressed over not providing required funds and powers to the elected representatives of local bodies.

Terming this attitude autocratic, the conference called upon all provincial governments and the Sindh government in particular to give full powers and required funds to all elected representatives, including in Karachi.

By other resolutions, the conference expressed its reservations over changes in China Economic Corridor route which could multiply sense of deprivation in smaller provinces; the moot called upon the government for early rehabilitation of people affected by the Zarb-i-Azb in Fata and opposed all sorts of terror-ism, targeted killing, extortion, kidnapping for ransom and corruption. The participants said that without elimination of crimes and restoration of peace, economic progress was not possible in the country.

The conference participants expressed concern over the attitude of some prejudiced police personnel for victimising Pukhtuns in Sindh by accusing them of belonging to banned organisations and condemned `discriminatory` attitude in Sindh by Nadra against Pulchtuns by not renewing their identity cards.

The conference condemned bomb blast in Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Shabgadar and Peshawar.