14 May 2004	Friday	23 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

MARDAN, May 13: A former provincial president of Pakistan People's Party, Khwaja Mohammed Khan Hoti, has said that most political leaders demand a democratic attitude from the military dictators, but, personally they were worse than military dictators.

Mr Hoti, who recently resigned from the PPP after he developed differences with party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto over organisational matters, has shifted to Bagh House at Hoti, where a large number of local workers and office-bearers of the PPP met him and invited him to address corner meetings in the district.

Speaking to a select gathering of party workers at the residence of Sarfaraz Khan at the Bari Cham, Khwaja Khan without naming any person expressed his wonder that the leaders of the so called democratic parties wanted democracy from Ziaul Haque, but they were more than dictators in their own personal mannerisms, he said.

He said: "Political parties lack any democratic culture and discipline in their ranks. Political leadership dislike being questioned by their party workers on political, organisational and disciplinary matters. If someone asks question, he or she is discouraged by party sycophants".

Mr Hoti said he had sacrificed the prime years of his life and all the available resources for the party and no one could point their finger at him.

He recalled that he had served his area and most of the roads and streets were either constructed or paved, and also a large number of jobs were given to local unemployed and jobless educated youth when he was education minister.

He dispelled the impressions that he is joining any political party in the near future however, but he will follow advice that the people suggest for him in the future.