LAHORE, June 20: The People’s Lawyers Forum urged the government on Thursday to allow Ms Benazir Bhutto to return and take part in elections.

The demand was made at a function held by the forum in the Lahore High Court Bar Association’s auditorium to celebrate the PPP chairperson’s birthday. It also called for the release of Asif Ali Zardari and other PPP leaders.

Addressing the function, Punjab PPP President Qasim Zia ruled out any compromise with the government and said Ms Bhutto would become the country’s premier for the third time.

Sheikh Rafiq Ahmad said democracy was inconceivable in Pakistan without Benazir Bhutto.

Advocate Malik Saeed Hasan, Mian Jahangir, Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Kazim Khan and Wasi Zafar and former minister Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas were among the participants. —Staff Reporter