25 December 2004	Saturday	12 Ziqa'ad 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: The results of the 'ongoing reconciliation process' between the People's Party Parliamentarians and the government are expected by April, claims a PPP leader.

He told Dawn that the nation would soon witness a change in the political set-up. He claimed that general elections would be held in 2005 and PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto would be among the masses here soon. "You may see Ms Bhutto addressing a public meeting in Larkana on the death anniversary of her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4, next year," he said.

He confirmed that the regime was in touch with Ms Bhutto and said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had been forced to initiate the reconciliation process due to international pressure.

However, he said, this time talks were being held on the terms and conditions of the PPP and not of the establishment. He admitted that the PPP had to accept certain conditions set by the military and bureaucracy at the time of assuming power in 1988 and 1993.

Now Ms Bhutto wanted to come to power only on her own terms so that she could not be forced out of power without completing her tenure, he added. In reply to a question, he said the chances of success of the talks were bright but the country could face a serious situation if desired results were not achieved by April 2005.

"In such circumstances Gen Musharraf will get a chance to consolidate his power and then he can rule for a longer period like Saddam Hussain of Iraq and Muammar Qadhafi of Libya," he said.

He claimed that Gen Musharraf had not got any positive response from the United States on the issue of retaining his military post. He claimed that the US administration had expressed its displeasure over what he called "failure of the military operation in Wana".

The PPP leader, who is leaving for Dubai in a couple of days to meet Ms Bhutto, said Pakistani ambassador to a European country was playing a major role in efforts for a patch-up between the PPP and Gen Musharraf.

He said it was due to the efforts of the ambassador that PPP workers were stopped from holding protest demonstrations in the US and the United Kingdom during Gen Musharraf's recent visit to the two countries.

Meanwhile, sources in the PPP said former senator Asif Ali Zardari had changed his plan to come to Islamabad again and he was planning to go to Dubai. They claimed that Mr Zardari would be in Dubai in the first week of January.