LAHORE, July 23: The west was following double standards by waging a war on Iraq for introducing democracy on the one hand and supporting an army dictator in Pakistan on the other, ARD chief Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan told British high commissioner Mark Lyall-Grant who had called on him at his residence here on Wednesday.

The British envoy was collecting views of the opposition on various international and national issues.

PPP leaders Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, Qasim Zia, Munir Ahmad Khan and Tahir Khaleeq and PML-N elders Rana Sanaullah Khan, Khwaja Saad Rafiq and Pervaiz Malik also attended the breakfast with Mr Grant, who refused to talk to the press after the meeting, saying that he had come “to listen and not to speak”.

However, the Nawabzada told reporters that “matters of mutual interest” were discussed. Besides other issues, the envoy was interested in knowing views of the opposition about relations between Pakistan and India. He was told that no progress could be made in improving ties between the two countries without solving the core issue of Kashmir.

The ARD chief stressed that the problem should be solved peacefully through talks, like the Indus Water Treaty and the Rann of Kach issues and called upon democratic countries to put pressure on Indian authorities in this regard.

He argued that the step would result in reduced defence expenditures and the funds thus saved could be used for welfare of the masses.

He also expressed his reservations about the Indian missiles tests, fearing that these could destabilize the world.

Mr Grant was told that relations between the two countries were better under democratic regimes in Pakistan.

The Nawabzada said that he had also informed the visitor that real transfer of power to a civilian setup had not taken place, contrary to “false” projections of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

If civilians had all powers, how could the corps commanders hold a meeting to announce that Gen Musharraf would remain the head of the state as well as the chief of army staff, he said.

Even other countries were not accepting Prime Minister Jamali as the chief executive and were inviting Gen Musharraf on state visits rather than Mr Jamali in violation of the parliamentary norms, he added.

The opposition had rejected the corps commanders’ decision, and questioned their capacity to make it, he said.

Mr Grant was told that the opposition would never accept a role of the armed forces in governance under amendments to the constitution.

He was also informed about the weak position of prime minister in the National Security Council and damaging effects of the president’s power to dissolve assemblies.