Pervaiz urges Fazl not to politicise army.

LAHORE -- Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has asked Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman not to politicise state institutions.

'Making the institutions controversial for political objectives is tantamount to playing with national security,' Mr Elahi said in a statement.

'By politicising the army, Maulana is not doing any service to democracy. Now that an explanation has also come from the army it will be better if he takes back his statement.'

Pervaiz Elahi, also a member of the six-member committee negotiating with the opposition on the 'Azadi March', reminded the Maulana that only because of the government's reconciliation policy his caravan entered Islamabad.

'If the government committee did not allow them, Maulana's men would not have entered the capital,' he said, adding that Maulana's two days ultimatum (for resignation of the premier) and his saying that he would not be able to...