April 18, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, April 17: Four senior leaders of the People’s Party Parliamentarians on Tuesday issued almost similar statements from different places, refuting reports that the PPP was about to strike a deal with the government.

The PPP leaders’ campaign followed an interview given by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to a British daily which was interpreted by many in Pakistan as indicating that the party was close to having an understanding with President Pervez Musharraf.

The interview published in Sunday Times quoting her as saying that she is willing to strike a deal with Gen Musharraf has made more difficult the job of the party leaders who have been trying hard for the past two years to make the nation believe that the PPP cannot enter into a deal with the military ruler.

The PPP leaders assailed Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani for saying that Ms Bhutto was looking and begging for a deal.

PPP information secretary Sherry Rehman issued a statement from Washington, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Raza Rabbani from Karachi and Ms Bhutto’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar and Punjab PPP information secretary Farzana Raja from Islamabad, dismissing the reports about the deal.

Mr Rabbani said Gen Musharraf was not acceptable to the PPP as president with or without uniform. He said Article 63 of the Constitution disqualified Gen Musharraf from getting re-elected.