December 11, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 30, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Monday welcomed the Pakistan Muslim League(N)’s decision to participate in the Jan 8 general election and said it was in line with an advice given to the PML(N) leadership by PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.

But the PML(N), apparently embarrassed by the PPP’s statement, retorted that it had been forced to take the decision by the refusal of the PPP and JUI(F) to boycott the polls.

In a statement issued here, PPP secretary-general Jehangir Bader said that the Sharifs’ decision to contest the polls had vindicated PPP’s strategy for restoration of democracy in the country.

He said that his party was pleased that Mr Sharif, the co-signatory to the Charter for Democracy, had followed Ms Bhutto’s suggestion.

Mr Bader claimed that Ms Bhutto had returned to the country ‘without any compromise on principles’, but she was ‘unfairly’ criticised.

He said that upon her return to the country, Ms Bhutto survived a suicide bombing which resulted in the death of 179 PPP workers and security personnel.

But, he said, her return and her strategy of dialogue, had helped open up political space for all political leaders, including Mr Nawaz Sharif.

Similarly, he said, Ms Bhutto had suggested that the opposition should protest against the ‘martial law of Nov 3’ and government’s plot to rig the coming elections, but must not leave the field open to ‘the king’s party’.

Mr Bader said the PPP welcomed the fact that the PML(N) leaders had recognised that Ms Bhutto’s advice was sagacious and wise.

The PPP, he said, would continue to oppose dictatorship and seek people’s support in the struggle against poll rigging.

He said the PPP looked forward to continued cooperation among all opposition parties for the implementation of the Charter of Democracy.

However, PML(N) Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal claimed that the Sharifs had left the boycott camp ‘only for the sake of expressing solidarity with other opposition parties after their refusal to boycott the election.’

He said had the PML(N) opted for a boycott, the forces supporting President Pervez Musharraf would have approved the removal of deposed judges of superior courts by a two-thirds majority in parliament.

Mr Iqbal equated the PPP with the PML(Q), saying if the PML(N) stayed out of the election, President Musharraf could have implemented his political agenda with the support of the PPP and PML(Q).

He said the party regretted that the PPP did not support the opposition on the issue of restoration of judges and poll boycott.

Mr Iqbal further asserted that the PML(N) had decided to take part in the election to ‘keep the issue of the sacked judges alive’.

He said the ‘rule of law and restoration of judges’ would be the main plank of the election campaign of his party which would also expose the ‘rigging plan’ of the government.

He said elections under President Musharraf would remain ‘disputed’ and no one would accept, if the polls were rigged.