October 18, 2002	Friday	Sha'aban 11, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 17: Pakistan Muslim League(N), on Thursday said that Gen Pervez Musharraf, in a bid to perpetuate his military rule, engineered the elections and brought a hung parliament which pushed the country into a deep crisis.

The economic and political challenges facing the country demanded creation of a powerful and stable democratic government, so that the process of economic revival and investment could be resumed, the PML(N) parliamentary party said in a resolution at its first meeting.

Gen Musharraf, following the strategy of his predecessor, Gen Yahya Khan, weakened the national political parties, and has fragmented national politics that would undermine foundations of the federation, it said.

The PML(N) was made a special target in the recent elections and government agencies, district government and public resources were blatantly used to defeat the PML(N) candidates.

The PML(N) candidates leading in their constituencies up to late night, were converted into losers by the morning.

All sorts of misconduct, including distribution of fake ballots, stuffing ballot boxes at gunpoint, and changing the declared results at the last moment were indulged in to ensure victory of the pro-regime contestants.

PML(N) demanded that the session of the National Assembly should be convened within 10 days to elect the speaker, who should immediately take all parliamentary parties in confidence in respect of restoration of the 1973 Constitution, transfer of power and formation of government, and promote national reconciliation.

Recalling that the Supreme Court had allowed Gen Musharraf to rule for three years, it said his office has become unconstitutional after Oct 12.

The Election Commission should immediately release a schedule for the election of the President under the Constitution.

The meeting reposed full confidence in PML leader Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and President PML-N Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif. It reiterated its resolve to continue countrywide struggle under their leadership for the restoration of genuine parliamentary democracy, supremacy of the Constitution and sovereignty of the country.