November 13, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 02, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 12: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Monday said she has terminated her party’s negotiations with President Gen Pervez Musharraf for what she describes as smooth transition to complete civilian and democratic rule because he has failed to deliver on his commitments given to her in the recent months.

Talking to reporters at the tomb of Allama Iqbal, she welcomed the presidential announcement to hold general elections early January next year, but insisted that it was difficult to imagine fair, free and transparent elections under the emergency rule and the Army Act while the constitution remained suspended.

She said her party had been negotiating with the president in order to ensure smooth and peaceful transfer of power to people, but he has failed to deliver on his commitments that, among others, included reconstitution of the election commission, installation of a neutral caretaker setup and instead imposed emergency rule and draconian laws like the army act.

In the given conditions, she said, it is not possible to expect fair and free elections in the country. “Earlier we could approach the Supreme Court for relief as we did on the issue of flawed defective rolls. Where should we go now after the imposition of the emergency rule and arrest of judges?,” she asked.

She said the PPP believes that only a democratic setup could save the country. She said her party has decided to launch long march on Islamabad against the emergency rule to save Pakistan. She called upon all sections of society – women, workers, peasants, students, lawyers and others – to take part in the long march. She said it is the battle of the oppressed against the oppressors.

Speaking about the ideology of Allama Iqbal, she said he was against bringing religion into politics. She said those who are doing so were neither serving Islam nor Pakistan.