PESHAWAR, Feb 14: The Pakistan People’s Party has said that if President Gen Pervez Musharraf insists on staying in uniform, the genuine political forces will launch a movement force him to shed it forthwith and hold general elections by the end of this year.

Speaking at a press conference at the Hayatabad residence of PPP NWFP chief Rahimdad Khan on Tuesday, PPP secretary-general Jahangir Badar said that it would be better for the country if President Gen Musharraf stepped down before general elections.

He said he had come to the NWFP on a two-day visit to discuss organisational matters with party leaders and workers and monitor PPP activities in the province.

Mr Badar claimed that the PPP was the only political party which had struggled against every military dictator and borne the brunt of state suppression.

He said that the PPP executive committee at its meeting in London on Nov 27, 2005, had decided that PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto would return to the country before the general elections and she would run the electioneering of the party. However, he refused to give the exact date when Ms Bhutto would be returning to Pakistan.

He said the PPP would abort every dictatorial move by President Gen Musharraf and his henchmen against the popular leadership of the country.

He said the Chaudhary Brothers & Co. wanted President Gen Musharraf to stay in uniform for his entire life because they could not survive “without the umbrella of the dictator”.

Mr Badar said it was the people and not President Gen Musharraf who would decide about the future of the people and country.

He held the incumbent ruling party responsible for the growing lawlessness, unemployment, price-hike and sugar crisis in the country.

He said military rulers had failed to deliver any good to the general people, groaning under economic hardships.

Mr Badar said he held a meeting with the party’s parliamentary leader in the NWFP assembly, Abdul Akbar Khan, and other MPAs, and they would ensure success for Farhatullah Babar, a PPP nominee for the Senate elections.