HYDERABAD, Nov 29: People's Party Parliamentarians and Alliance for Restoration of Democracy chief Makhdoom Mohammad Amin Fahim has said the protest movement launched from the platform of the ARD against President Gen Pervez Musharraf government will continue till restoration of democracy.

He was speaking at a press conference at the residence of Syed Mohsin Shah Bukhari in Tando Mohammad Khan on Sunday evening. Mr Fahim rejected reports that Asif Ali Zardari had been released as a result of some deal.

He said Mr Zardari had been implicated in false cases and he remained in jail for eight years. He said the judiciary, and not the government, had acquitted him in some cases and granted him bail in a pending case.

He said the release of Mr Zardari would infuse a new spirit in the ARD movement and added that his sacrifices for democracy could not be forgotten. He said Mr Zardari would play an active role in politics, adding that he had decided to go to court to get his name deleted from the Exit Control List. If allowed to go abroad, Mr Zardari would return after receiving medical treatment, Mr Fahim said.

He said the situation was changing in the country and there was every likelihood that party chairperson Benazir Bhutto would return soon. Even otherwise, he said, Ms Bhutto wanted to return but she was being held back by the party.

Rejecting reports of differences in the ARD, he said that though the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal was a separate entity, the two alliances held similar views on the issue of restoration of democracy and against the president's uniform.

Mr Fahim said the dictatorial decision of the president to replace an elected prime minister was now known to all and added that only Gen Musharraf could tell how long the present premier would remain in office.

He accused Gen Musharraf of imposing his decisions in violation of all democratic norms. However, he said, the president would be left with no other option in the near future but to restore true democracy in near future.

He said the schedule of a protest procession from Hyderabad to Karachi on Dec 7 had not been changed. He warned that if the government would be committing a grievous mistake if it tried to stop the procession.

He said such processions would also be taken out in other provinces and all other parties, including the MMA, would be welcome to participate in the protest against Gen Musharraf. The PPP leader said the adoption of resolutions by parliament and provincial assemblies on the uniform issue was reminiscent of the dark ages.

He was of the opinion that the next year would be the year of general election and not of the local bodies' election. He also said that the present government was a puppet government.

He said Ms Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif had the inherent right to return to the country and added that the ARD would prepare ground for their return.

Mr Fahim said the Mir Murtaza Bhutto murder case against Mr Zardari was baseless, adding that the time would prove it so. He said the PPP would not accept injustices against any province and would oppose construction of the Kalabagh dam and Thal canal.