London: Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto said on Monday that if Musharraf refused to have free, fair and impartial elections open to all political parties and political personalities, then elections would not be a solution for restoration of democracy.
"We hope that he will change his attitude and allow transition from a military dictatorship to democracy. If he closes the door of elections, then obviously people will look at alternatives," she said.
Asked if Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) would take part in elections under the superivison of Musharraf, former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif said, "we will not walk into the trap laid by the general to get legitmacy for himself."
Both the leaders said they would be returning to Pakistan before the elections and any attempt to block their return would be resisted by the people.
The meeting demanded that all "politically motivated" cases against Bhutto and other leaders should be withdrawn immediately and those living in exile be allowed to safely return to Pakistan.
The meeting called upon all democratic political forces to forge an alliance irrespective of their party positions to exert pressure on Musharraf to resign for refusing to restore democracy.
The meeting also called for the formation of a Government of national consensus to hold free, fair and honest elections within 90 days and to call for the repeal of all discriminatory laws.
Slamming the Government for branding the Baloch leadership as unpatriotic, the ARD leaders questioned the right of the establishment to issue decrees on patriotism and demanded immediate halt to the use of state force in the province.
The leaders also criticised the Government's economic policies and termed the Supreme Court's decision vis-a-vis privatisation of Pakistan Steels as an indictment against the military regime.
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