PESHAWAR, May 16: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians on Monday accused the military-led government of failing to steer the country out of the serious crisis it is facing and urged party workers to prepare for general elections.

Briefing journalists at the residence of PPPP Peshawar president Syed Zahir Shah, the party’s secretary-general Jehangir Badar said that the charter of democracy signed by PPPP and Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders in London would pave the way for a real people’s democracy.

He said major political forces had agreed to close the doors on dictators and their partners once and for all and give democracy a fair chance to flourish. He said the Charter of Democracy was a rare document, which politicians had ever agreed upon for the country’s solidarity and people’s prosperity.

PPPP provincial president Rahimdad Khan, senior vice-president Syed Qamar Abbas, Senator Sajjad Shah Bukhari, Arbab Alamgir Khan, Syed Ayub Shah, PPPP women’s chief Mehrunnisa, Begum Tehmas Khan and other PPPP leaders were also present.

He said the party was opposed to privatisation, which had caused unemployment and abject poverty. He said PPP would implement its political programme in letter and spirit and encourage political pluralism to protect the rights of marginalised and under-privileged sections of society.

He said the membership drive, kicked off today, would continue for next three months. After its completion, elections would be organised across the province, he added.

Senator Sajjad Bukhari also spoke in the meeting.

Later, speaking at a women workers convention at the residence of Arbab Alamgir, MNA Fauzia Wahab, Jehangir Badar, Asma Alamgir, Mehrunnisa, Shazia and others spoke about the party programme.