NEW YORK, Nov 27: The Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Shahbaz Sharif has said that all exiled political leaders must return to Pakistan to participate in next year’s general elections, defying threats of arrests and incarceration.

In an interview with Dawn, he said the opposition leaders had demanded free and fair election "which cannot be held unless a real neutral caretaker government is installed before the elections in consultation with the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy."

Besides, he asserted, a truly independent judiciary was a prerequisite and said that so far the judiciary had not manifested its independence except in the case of the Pakistan Steel Mills. However, he added that so far the Supreme Court had not ruled out on any constitutional issue recently "so it remains to be tested".

Mr Sharif declared that without the full participation of PML(N) leader Nawaz Sharif and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto there could be no genuine elections.

About the Charter of Democracy signed by the opposition leadership, Mr Sharif said that every leader in the alliance was committed to the principles of the charter in order to restore real democracy in Pakistan.

Mr Sharif said: "Each one of us believes that the scourge of terrorism should be eradicated in the country, but the only way the country can get rid of it is by the participation of the masses and that can be done by a democratically elected government and not by the army.”

Mr Sharif said that the people of Pakistan wanted a real change in the body politic of Pakistan. "They want the rule of law, democracy and freedom from terrorism."

However, he did concede that politicians would have to learn to stop bickering and fighting and stop undermining each other.