Islamabad, Oct 21: Questioning the claims of the Pakistan government that the country's armed forces were fully rallying behind President Pervez Musharraf, opposition parties have released to the media a letter, purportedly written by some army personnel, which questions the armed forces' role in politics and its involvement in the war against terror. Opposition parties, which have been waging a year-long fight against President Pervez Musharraf's constitutional amendments, took the government by surprise by releasing yesterday the unsigned letter written on the letter head of the general headquarters of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.
Titled 'Independent Force', Pakistan zindabad,' the letter calls for a judicial inquiry into the army's role in politics. It also expressed dissatisfaction with the military's role in the US-led war on terror.

Releasing the letter at a joint press conference of the opposition leaders in the National Assembly, ARD president Javed Hashmi claimed that that the letter has been received by all opposition parties.

However, Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed branded the letter as "sheer fabrication" by the opposition to tarnish the image of the armed forces of the country. "This letter is forged, fabricated and self-made to harm the unity of the armed forces," he said adding the armed forces of the country are united.

"This letter itself speaks volume of the designs of such elements who have fabricated the letter," he said and branded it as a "home-made production of the evil minds."
Bureau Report