05 August 2004	Thursday	18 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

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PESHAWAR, Aug 4: The PPP has stressed the need for fresh general elections under the supervision of an independent election commission to steer the country out of what it termed the lawlessness.

Provincial PPP chief Rahimdad Khan said in a statement that it was a new phenomenon in the country that the president, finance minister, chief ministers and top military brass had been attacked by terrorists.

He urged the ruling alliance to end the prevailing sense of deprivation among political parties by initiating a dialogue with popular political forces on national issues.

The limited democracy, Mr Khan said, restored by the military rulers in instalments had levelled the ground for terrorists to impose their political will by force on the present government.

The PPP had been opposed to the use of brute force by either side and it believed that dialogue was the only solution to political issues, he added. Mr Khan said the military operation launched against tribesmen in South Waziristan and use of force against protesters in parts of Balochistan might trigger more hatred against the security forces.

He said that only a powerful political government could save the country from violent internal and external threats. "There is no alternative to political process which keeps a country stable even during the worst moments of its history.

The PPP has always endorsed the process of negotiation, but the military rulers have always opposed it to get their unlawful stay prolonged," he added. He said that if India and Bangladesh could flourish in all fields, Pakistan could also do the same, but usurpers had not allowed any of popularly elected government to complete its term.