November 02, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 20, 1428

KARACHI, Nov 1: Pakistan People’s Party Secretary-General Jehangir Badar on Thursday said there had been no change in party chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s plan to address a public meeting in Rawalpindi on Nov 9.

“She will definitely address the meeting in Liaquat Bagh on Nov 9 and with the support of the masses the PPP will foil all conspiracies of anti-democratic forces who want to prevent the people from exercising their democratic right of vote in the coming general elections,” said Mr Badar at a news conference at the Karachi Press Club.

Aamir Ghaffar Lone, former minister of Azad Kashmir, joined the PPP on the occasion.

Jehangir Badar defended his party’s stance reiterated the PPP’s stance on holding dialogue with Gen Pervez Musharraf and said that Ms Bhutto stood for free and fair elections leading to transition to democracy.

He claimed the step was not contrary to the charter of democracy.

He said the ARD was still intact and the door was always open to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

He told a questioner that those who had “betrayed” the party and joined the PML-Q would never be accepted back.

He said that the PPP chairperson had consulted districts leaders of the party to nominate candidates in the Punjab for the forthcoming election.

He vowed that despite all conspiracies against the PPP leadership and workers, the PPP would mobilise the people at the grass-roots level in the elections.

PPP Azad Kashmir leaders alleged that the Punjab chief minister and the top leaders of the PML-Q were involved in embezzling earthquake funds.

They said that the government was making tall claims about rehabilitation of earthquake victims who, according to them, were still waiting for relief despite the government having received enormous foreign and local funds for rehabilitation of earthquake victims.