ISLAMABAD, March 13: Pakistan Muslim League(N) and Pakistan People’s Party on Wednesday condemned President Musharraf’s announcement that former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto cannot stand in future elections as an attempt to undermine any return to full democracy.

By barring them, President Musharraf was attempting to ensure victory for his own people who would endorse his plan to remain in power, said Tehmina Daultana, vice president of PML(N).

“What he is talking about is selection in which he has already designed his own position,” she told AFP.

“Musharraf has said he would stay for five years, which shows that he already knows who are the people who are going to be elected and vote for him.”

Daultana accused President Musharraf of rigging last year’s local government elections and demanded the setting up of a national coalition government and an independent election body to hold free and impartial elections.

At a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, President Musharraf ruled out any possibility of Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif being allowed to contest polls in October this year.

Pakistan People’s Party also angrily rejected Gen Musharraf’s stand and vowed that its self-exiled leader would return home and participate in the elections.

“All dictators in the past have also made similar tall claims. They discredit public representatives but when the people speak, they are swept away and confined to the dustbins of history,” party spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AFP.