CHARSADDA, Oct 13: Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan denounced on Saturday the appointment of Mr Shamsul Mulk as caretaker chief minister of the NWFP and said that free and fair elections could not be expected under his supervision in the province.

Addressing people after offering Eid prayers here at Ghazi Gul Baba Mosque, Mr Khan said that Mr Mulk was close to the establishment and he had always supported anti-Pakhtun policies.

He said that the appointment of Mr Mulk had exposed the designs of the government.

He also accused JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman of helping Gen Musharraf by avoiding dissolution of the NWFP assembly before the presidential election.

“The All Parties Democratic Movement had decided that the NWFP assembly would be dissolved on September 29, but the Maulana opposed the idea and insisted that the chief minister will tender advice to the governor for its dissolution on Oct 2,” he said.

Mr Khan said: “Enough time was given to pro-Musharraf parties to move a no-confidence motion against the chief minister and save the assembly from dissolution.”