MARDAN, May 6: The low turnout of voters in the presidential referendum is ample proof that people don’t repose trust in Gen Pervez Musharraf’s policies, who should resign to pave the way for the establishment of a national government, so that fair elections are held in October.

This was stated by PPP ex-provincial minister Rahimdad Khan while speaking at a press conference at the Mardan Press Club here on Monday.

The referendum results show that the nation has rejected the general and expressed a no-confidence in his government’s policies, the PPP leader observed, asking Pervez Musharraf to resign from presidentship in the greater national interest.

Rahimdad said the low turnout also exposed Gen Musharraf to the whole wide world and no country except China bothered to felicitate him on his assumption of the president’s office.

While quoting some corps commanders, Rahimdad said, that the American newspapers had also opposed the referendum, adding that rifts also existed between the Election Commission and the government over the exercise.

He said the five per cent turnout also gave a lie to Musharraf’s popularity claims and exposed the pro-government and power hungry politicians.

He claimed that the Supreme Court had never mandated Gen Musharraf to make changes to the constitution.