HYDERABAD, April 25: People would not accept general elections in the absence of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, said the deputy opposition leader in the National Assembly, Syed Naveed Qamar.

Elections without participation of the two leaders would have no credibility within or outside the country, he said.

Naveed Qamar, former federal minister, was speaking to party workers at a reception hosted by PPP leader Haji Abdul Khaliq Soomro at the Soomro House Tando Mohammad Khan on Monday.

He said that so far no decision had been taken about forming an election alliance among the ARD parties. He, however, said seat adjustment among the like-minded parties was possible.

The recent meeting held between Ms Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London would have a long-term impact on the national politics, he said and added that it would not only give impetus to the democratic struggle, but also go a long way in eliminating uncertainty in the country.

He said the law and order situation was getting out of control due to the wrong policies of the Musharraf government. Terrorists were killing innocent people, but the government was doing nothing, he said.

Economy of the country had almost collapsed, he claimed and alleged that the present government had started planning to rig the forthcoming general elections.

He, however, said the People’s Party Parliamentarians would foil all the conspiracies of the rulers and fight on all fronts.

Other speakers on the occasion were former provincial minister Syed Mohsin Shah Bukhari, MPA Haji Abdul Qadir Soomro, Haji Abdul Khalid Soomro, Dr Aye Jet and others.

MAN INJURED: An official of the Pak-Arab fertilizers was maltreated by a group of people in journalists’ colony in the Baldia police area on Tuesday, reports our correpondent.