MULTAN, Nov 27: Zardari's utterances about 'political reconciliation' will not affect the schedule of a protest drive of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) against the one man's rule in the country.

This was stated by ARD leader Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmed Khan while talking to newsmen here on Saturday. He said the ARD's 'oust Musharraf' move would be kicked off by Dec 5, 2004.

He dispelled the impression that the ARD would join the protest campaign being launched against Gen Musharraf's uniform by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal. 'We will do it (anti-Musharraf drive) on our own', he said.

A joint committee of the ARD and MMA, he said, was constituted to chalk out a combined move against the present government but the religio-political alliance announced their protest plan before any meeting of the committee could be held.

Criticizing the government, the Nawabzada said that half of the country's population now was living in extreme poverty, unemployment had reached to alarming proportions, Kashmir policy was not yielding results despite a complete U-turn from the principle stand, Wana was burning while situation in Balochistan was boiling up to say the least.

All this warranted that the democratic forces of the country should unite to get rid of the despotic rule, he added.

SEMINAR: A seminar 'Why the Kalabagh Dam and other water reservoirs are needed' will be held here on Sunday (today) under the aegis of Tehrik-i-Istiqlal.

Federal minister for parliamentary affairs Sher Afghan Khan Niazi will be the chief guest while TI chief Rehmat Khan Wardag will preside the moot.