While not appreciating the principal stand of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) to boycott this general elections on the appeal of Pakistan Bar Council, several comrades have criticized the APDM boycott strategy. They say that it has helped the PMLQ to win some more seats in Baluchistan. They are enthralled by the victory of PPP and PMLN thus forgetting all aspects of the rigged elections.

The hidden message is that the boycott has helped the Musharaf supporters to win the seats. In other words, the boycott strategy was to help Musharaf dictatorship.

This is all none sense.

These comrades based themselves on the fact that masses have voted against the regime and that the dictatorship was unable to rig the results. This is a half-truth. Yes, masses have spoken in very clear terms against the military dictatorship. However, there was unprecedented rigging during the whole process of elections and more so on the Election Day. The fact that PPP and PMLN have reasonable votes does not mean that the elections were free and fare.

In Baluchistan, not more than 8 percent went to votes were casted according to APDM sources in Baluchistan, yet the percentage of voting is shown more than 2002 elections. This is contrary to the facts that all Baluch nationalist parties were boycotting the elections.

The various Baluch nationalist parties took 32.62 percent of the total votes in the general elections of 2002. Yet they were only able to fetch three national assembly seats. This was because several nationalist parties were competing each other.

From 2002 to 2008, Baluch nationalist parties with courage contested the army action in Baluchistan, killing of Akbar Bugti ad Bajaj Marri, disappearing of thousands, killing of hundreds during the military actions, displacing of thousands because of military actions, loot and plunder of Baluchistan national assets. They were able to organize several all Baluchistan strike actions successfully.

All the political indicators had shown a tremendous growth of nationalist forces in Baluchistan. If they had taken part in the 2008 elections, they would have got the absolute majority in Baluchistan assembly. However, they boycotted on a principal position to show solidarity with the advocate movement. Their percentage of votes would have gone up from 32 percent of 2002.

While the MMA votes in 2002 elections were, 21.74 percent and they had six NA seats.

PMLQ had 15.62 percent votes and won two NA seats. PMLQ had a total of 26 provincial assembly seats and MMA had 18 seats in Baluchistan assembly. They formed the provincial government.

Now after boycott of elections by APDM, what is latest situation in seat terms? Has APDM helped the PMLQ to win more seats? Let see the facts.

in 2008 rigged elections, the PMLQ has come down from 26 to 17; MMA has come down from 18 to seven.

While PPPP went up from 2 seats to 7. In addition, ANP was able to win two seats after 1970 general elections. Ten independents have also won. Baluchistan National Party Awami has also won five seats.

The percentage of votes for PMLQ and MMA is not available for 2008 elections but it is very clear that it will never match the 37 percent of MMA and PMLQ in 2002 elections.

However, the boycott strategy has built a tremendous pressure on the military regime and they were unable to rig the elections, as they wanted to. There were thousands attending APDM election rallies in Baluchistan demanding an immediate end of military dictatorship.

The best outcome of APDM strategy was a break to the advances of MMA. It is now split from top to bottom. The percentage of votes has come down. There were already many problems within the parties of MMA. However, turning point of split came when the question of participation or no participation in the election came.

Had the APDM with the leadership of nationalist parties would have not decided to keep boycotting the elections, it was doubtful that Jamaat-i-Islami would have boycotted the elections. If MMA had contested the elections jointly, it would have not got the same bad results that it has now. The boycott strategy has helped the MMA split and no united election strategy by the religious fundamentalist forces. These comrades ignore this very positive development in their criticism of LPP strategy.

The second positive result is that anti Musharaf vote was not split apart from the two main parties PPPP and PMLN. Already, the PMLQ has won some seats because the PPP and PMLN contested each other and got very high votes but not sufficient to win the seat. These comrades would not criticize PPP and PMLN contesting each other and paving the way for PMLQ victory.

IF PPPP, PMLN, MMA, AJT, and PONAM had contested the elections on anti Musharaf agenda, it would have helped the PMLQ to win even more seats.

The boycott strategy has not helped the military dictatorship as these comrades have tried to say but on the contrary has helped to weaken the military grip of the society. That is why this golden prospect to oust Musharaf dictatorship is been posed.

The facts speak for them and prove the absolute wrong assessment of these comrades.