PESHAWAR, Nov 27: Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that though ANP has parted ways with the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, his party still wants that the general election should be held as soon as possible.

“We want the country to get into the general election as soon as possible,” said the ANP president in response to a question Dawn about his party’s stand on the restoration of democracy and holding of the general election after breaking its association with the ARD.

He said the government should not stretch the date of holding of the general election to Oct 12, 2002 — the deadline set for the restoration of democracy in line with a Supreme Court decision.

However, he appeared evasive when asked that whether or not the ANP would support Gen Pervez Musharraf if he opted to get endorsement from the future parliament for attaining legitimacy as the President.

“ It is, too, early to say anything about it,” said the ANP chief.

In an attempt to quell the impression of his party having parted ways from the ARD and extending support to the US attacks on Taliban and Al-Qaeda as part of some deal with the Pervaiz Musharraf government, the ANP president said: “We have not jumped into anybody’s boat”.

ANP had not effected U-turn in its Afghan policy, it was, actually, Islamabad which brought about a complete shift in its policy on Afghanistan, apparently, in line with the views the ANP had been maintaining, said Asfandyar while replying to questions at a Press conference held here on Tuesday following a meeting of ANP’s central executive committee.

“Those who enter into deals have to offer something, what have we offered (to the government) if, presumably, we have struck a deal,” said Asfandyar, adding “our stand on the Afghan conflict is in continuation of ANP’s position on the issue as we have been favouring that Afghans should be let to decide their future on their own”.