05 July 2004	Monday	16 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

LAHORE, July 4: Leaders of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy are meeting here on Monday to take stock of the political situation and decide what course of action should they follow in the weeks and months to come.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the alliance chief who will preside over the meeting, is scheduled to arrive here on Monday morning. The participants will discuss their strategy for by election to two NA seats Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz plans to contest. The by election to four provincial assembly seats in the Punjab held on Saturday -- and won by the ruling party nominees -- is also on the agenda.

Mian Azhar: Former PML-Q president Mian Azhar said on Sunday that most of those in power at present would have been behind bars had there been a tradition of accountability of people in office.

He said had such a system been in force in the past, the economic decline and uncertainty seen at present would not have been there. Former governor Mian Azhar said the situation was taking a new turn and the system based on fraud and lies was about to collapse. He insisted that the country was heading towards fresh elections.