ISLAMABAD, May 13: MNA and political secretary to Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Naheed Khan on Friday said any exercise to keep Benazir Bhutto out of general elections would jeopardize the federation. She was reacting to President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s recent remarks that former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif would not be allowed to contest the next elections.

“It is the prerogative of the people to choose or reject any party or leader and no usurper can take that right away,” she said in a statement.

Ms Khan asked the president to “learn from history” and recalled that Gen Ziaul Haq could not eliminate the PPP despite his best efforts.

The PPP struggles for peoples’s rights and has a long history of fighting dictators. “Once again, it will emerge victorious under the leadership of Ms Bhutto,” Ms Khan said

She claimed that the people wanted Ms Bhutto to become prime minister for the third time, and said President Musharraf should “stop ridiculing the public and accept people’s verdict”.