Nawaz Sharif opposes possible Bhutto-Musharraf deal

Islamabad, May 3 (UNI) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he still prays Benazir Bhutto does not strike a deal with military ruler Pervez Musharraf as such a step will not be in the national interest after several years of joint struggle against the dictatorship.

''Under the Charter of Democracy, no ARD party is allowed to hold talks with dictators,'' the Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying today.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League and Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party are the main component parties of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

The two leaders had signed the charter in London last year to conduct a joint struggle against Musharraf.

Mr Sharif arrived in Dubai from London yesterday. He will arrive in Abu Dhabi today to offer condolences to the ruling family over the death of a son of Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak.

He is scheduled to return to London tomorrow morning.

PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim are also in Dubai, but there is no possibility of a meeting between the two former prime ministers.

Differences between the PML-N and the PPP over the issue of Ms Bhutto's reported contacts with the government for a deal are deepening by the day. However, the PPP doesn't think it necessary to explain its position to the PML-N.

Nobody has the right to question our position, Mr Fahim told Dawn.

He was, however, confident that the ARD would stay intact.

He denied he would meet PML-N leaders Raja Zafarul Haq or Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on May 5 to brief them on the nature of contacts between the PPP and the government. He said a meeting of the ARD would be called after the first week of May. However, he did not give an exact date.

UNI