ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on Monday asked the government to hold a secret ballot during the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz if it had complete trust in its members.

The demand was made by the ARD leadership after a meeting in which the Alliance leaders approved the draft of the charge-sheet prepared by a special committee to be submitted with the no- confidence motion against the prime minister.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, ARD Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said the opposition was ready to accept the outcome of the no-confidence motion against the prime minister and the government should also accept the result after allowing its members to attend the session on the fateful day.

He said the opposition had information that the government was planning to stop its members from attending the assembly session on the day when no-confidence motion would be put before the house for voting.

He claimed that several members belonging to the ruling party and its coalition partners were in contact with the opposition.

Mr Jhagra, however, refused to divulge the number of government members in contact with the opposition, saying that it was a very sensitive matter and the number would be known to everyone on the voting day.

The ARD secretary-general said the meeting had been convened to give approval of the draft of the charge-sheet against the prime minister and the government prepared by an 11-member committee, headed by Mehmood Khan Achakzai.

Without giving details, he said, the charge-sheet contained several points highlighting the corruption of the rulers. Giving the salient features, he said, it contained the corruption committed by the rulers in the privatization of national assets like Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTCL), Habib Bank and Karachi Electric Supply Corporation.

It also contained some points related to the “failed foreign policy” of the government and poor law and order situation in the country, he said, adding that the issue of the raising of Mangla Dam was also included in it.

Replying to a question, he said, each party had its own viewpoint on different issues including the Hudood laws. However, he said, it had been decided by the opposition parties that they would maintain unity at all cost to jointly launch a movement against the regime.

He said the government was bringing the controversial bills in the National Assembly in an effort to divide the opposition. He said the government would not succeed in its attempt to divide the opposition, which had been united on one-point agenda of restoring democracy and constitution’s supremacy in the country.

Mr Jhagra said the ARD had approved the draft resolution of the charge-sheet and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) was also expected to give it final approval on Tuesday. He said the draft would also be approved in a joint meeting of the opposition parties on Wednesday, after which the no-confidence motion would be submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat.

The ARD meeting was presided over by chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim and prominent among those who attended the meeting were Raja Zafarul Haq, Tehmina Daultana, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Malik Hakmin Khan and Naveed Malik.