November 22, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 11, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) has urged the opposition parties not to boycott the upcoming general election since their longstanding demand to hold polls on time had been met in line with the Constitution.

After a meeting of the party’s parliamentary board here on Wednesday, PML secretary-general Mushahid Hussain said the board had authorised the PML Sindh president to hold talks with the MQM and the PML-F while the PML NWFP president would talk to the PPP (Sherpao) for seat adjustments in the two provinces.

Mr Hussain said Gen Pervez Musharraf would doff his uniform before taking oath of the presidential office, adding that the party was not in favour of the state of emergency continuing during election.

He said the provincial heads of the PML presented reports on the party’s position in Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan.

He said the party would pay attention to its minority and women wings.

Replying to a question, he said: “I think all parties have completed their homework for polls and now it is quite inappropriate of them to raise objections to the election schedule,” he said.

He claimed that the PML would contest the next election on the basis of its performance and it did not need the crutches of emergency.

He said that ‘genuine reservations’ of various political parties about the election process should be addressed.