2 May 2005	Monday	22 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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LAHORE, May 1: The ARD and the PPP are not opposed to a dialogue with the rulers but at the same time there will be no compromise on principles, an ARD leader said on Sunday. Deputy information secretary Munir Ahmed Khan said in a press statement that the ARD or the PPP had never talked of a deal, instead it was Gen Musharraf who had talked of national reconciliation.

The ARD leader said for the alliance cooperation with the military rulers was like committing a sin. He said the ruling PML had always come to power with the crutches of the army.

He said the opposition alliance did not recognize the 17th amendment nor was it prepared to make the LFO part of the Constitution. The alliance, he said, also did not accept Gen Musharraf as a constitutional president.

The ARD leader said having failed to cause cracks in the ARD the rulers had started character-assassination of the PPP leadership. While the ministers were telling the PPP to behave, a chief minister was using apolitical language against the opposition.

The ARD leader said the ARD in its recent meeting had made it clear that there would be no deal with the government. The firm stand of the PPP had confused the rulers, he said. Munir Khan said the MMA had failed to assume the role of opposition as it was more concerned about the fate of its two governments and the office of the opposition leader.

He said fresh elections alone could steer the country out of the crisis. He said Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif were not in favour of politics of expediencies and they were fighting for principles.