Pak opposition vows to boycott unfair elections

London, July 9: Pakistan opposition politicians yesterday vowed to boycott what they fear will be unfair elections in their home country but bickered over more concrete measures to overcome the military rule of President Pervez Musharraf.

In a two-day conference marked by arguments and sometimes chaotic scenes, leaders from parties across the political spectrum struggled to find common ground and construct a pre-election declaration.

Their intention had been to produce an action plan to capitalise on increasing public unrest in Pakistan, where Musharraf is facing his worst domestic crises since he seized power in a coup eight years ago.

Notable for her absence was former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, whose representative from the Pakistan People's Party, Amin Fahim, fended off accusations from delegates that the PPP had watered down the text of the declaration to prevent stronger condemnation of Musharraf's rule.

Fahim said Bhutto had engagements in France and was unable to come.

Pakistan is rife with speculation that Bhutto is working on some sort of power-sharing deal with Musharraf whereby he is re-elected president and she could become prime minister for a third time once corruption charges against her are dropped.

Asked whether Bhutto was working on such a deal, Fahim told Reuters: ''There is no such kind of thing. We have come here to struggle to make a decision to get Pakistan on a democratic platform.'' Musharraf is expected to call elections later this year but opposition politicians say that, on the evidence of by-elections which have taken place, they will be rigged. They point to pared-down electoral rolls, changes in polling stations and the use of local police to prevent opposition voters from casting their ballot.

''It is clear that the Musharraf regime is incapable of holding free, fair and honest elections,'' former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said, reading from the declaration.

''Therefore, we the parties assembled here together pledge ... to strongly resist the election ... of General Musharraf through all means including the resignations from Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies.'' To chants of ''Go, Musharraf, Go!'' and ''Go, Army, Go!'' the declaration was passed around the table of around 100 politicians who signed it.

Musharraf, also army chief, has been a key ally for the United States in its ''war on terror'' but now faces charges of not doing enough to combat a spreading militant influence from tribal regions on the Afghan border into central areas.

Hardline Islamist students are currently involved in a deadly stand-off with security forces surrounding their mosque and school complex in Islamabad.

''Action should have been taken six months ago. Why were people allowed to smuggle ammunition into the mosque?'' Sharif said.

Musharraf also faces a judicial crisis after suspending the country's top judge in March.

Some conference observers took the microphone to plead with the delegates to work harder at burying their differences.

''What is the difficulty of getting a united front? Is it because some parties want to collaborate with the military dictatorship? Is is because they don't want to disturb the status quo?,'' said Roedad Khan, a former civil servant.

''Politicians are on trial. What Pakistan needs is bold leadership.''

Reuters

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