ISLAMABAD, Reuter: A Pakistani leader renewed threats to pull his party out of the main opposition alliance, on the eve of its first rally since a government crackdown in August.

Former Air Chief Marshal Asghar Khan said his Tehrik Istiqlal Party would allow a couple of days’ latitude from its original ‘October 10 withdrawal deadline set in August.

But it would withdraw by early next week unless the 10-party alliance dropped policies he said divided the opposition to President Mohammad Zia ul Haq.

Asghar Khan spoke by telephone from his home in Abbottabad, where the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) leaders including Benazir Bhutto will address the rally.

Tehrik Istiqlal stopped taking part in MRD. Meetings several months ago. It issued its withdrawal threat on August 12, two days before the authorities began a ‘wave of arrests of opposition leaders for defying a ban on rallies.

Asghar Khan said he wanted an end to apparent attempts by Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party to gain US. Support and by the Awami national party to win Soviet backing

“It weakens the people’s will to resist this regime”.

He also objected to Bhutto’s use of the term “Bhuttoism”, the populist program of her executed father, former Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,

“Bhuttoism means different things to different people, they are dividing the opposition by raising this slogan”, he said. “Unless the Opposition is united no movement can succeed”.

Asghar Khan said that as the MRD Central Committee was apparently due to meet on October 11. Tehrik would give them time to discuss the ultimatum and send an answer.

“We can wait a couple of days”, he said. “But if we do not receive a satisfactory answer, we will withdraw”.

The MRD has been severely weakened by splits, defections and its inability to resist the August crackdown which cost at least 37 lives.

Political analysts said that although Tehrik’s support was limited and it had kept aloof from the MRD for some months, its withdrawal would be a further blow to the alliance’s credibility.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 17, 1986