January 19, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 28, 1427

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LONDON, Jan 18: The federal cabinet’s decision to get President General Pervez Musharraf re-elected by the present assemblies seems to have unwittingly clinched for PML-N its argument for a multi-party opposition’s conference being so far resisted by its ARD partner, the PPP.

Terming the decision of the cabinet as an attempt by the army to give a helping hand to Gen Musharraf desperately trying to survive politically without regard to the legality or legitimacy of the exercise, the PML-N said on Thursday, it had now become essential for the opposition parties to join hands to stop Musharraf from violating the spirit of the Constitution.

Nadir Chaudhri, central joint secretary of the PML-N and spokesman for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in a statement released here said that by opting for re-election from the present assemblies General Musharraf had in fact exposed his own precarious political position and signalled that gaining legitimacy for his illegal occupancy of the presidency was no longer a priority for him.

He said that after this announcement it had become imperative for the opposition parties to come together on a common platform to thwart this attempt by General Musharraf to get re-elected.

Nadir Chaudhri said that Nawaz Sharif’s initiative to gather pro-democracy forces for restoration of democracy provided the ideal mechanism to tackle the now clear intention of General Musharraf to perpetuate his rule through this ‘immoral exercise’.

“No amount of political manoeuvring on the part of General Musharraf can ever bestow legitimacy to his illegal rule,” he concluded.