LONDON, July 8: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy will go for ‘political impeachment’ of Gen Pervez Musharraf, rather than his impeachment through parliament, opposition sources say.

A central leader of one of the major components of the ARD said on Saturday that opposition parties would hold public meetings in all important cities of the country and expose the alleged wrong-doings of Gen Musharraf. He said seminars were also being planned for the purpose.

The ARD leader admitted that the opposition was not in a position even to move an impeachment bill, let alone its being carried by the two houses of parliament. “We’ll impeach him through people’s courts.”

He said only the ruling party could throw the president out and, that too, with a two-third majority in the bicameral legislature. For opposition, he said, it was not possible to adopt this course.

The impeachment of Gen Musharraf and tabling a no-confidence motion against the prime minister were discussed at a meeting of the alliance held here on July 2.

Answering a question, the ARD leader admitted that even hypothetically speaking an impeachment motion against Gen Musharraf would amount to recognising him as the constitutional president of the country which the opposition parties would not like to do.

All parties in the ARD, and now even the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, are of the view that Gen Musharraf is not the constitutional president.

It is said that former Privatisation Commission chairman Khwaja Asif will hold a news conference here on Sunday to highlight the alleged irregularities being committed by the rulers in the process of privatisation. Subsequently, a seminar will be held for the same purpose.

A plan to issue a white-paper on the alleged corrupt practices of the rulers was also discussed by various leaders. But it was decided that seminars and public meetings would be more helpful.

Meanwhile, the future of the Independent Democratic Group (IDG) is uncertain after some of its leaders met Benazir Bhutto and ‘almost decided’ to join the PPP.

Begum Abida Hussain, Syed Fakhr Imam and some others met the PPP chairperson here and exchanged views on the Charter of Democracy and the political situation in Pakistan.

Later, Ms Hussain and Mr Imam also met PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif.

The IDG is headed by former Punjab governor Mian Mohammad Azhar. Ghulam Sarwar Cheema, Taj Jamali, Omer Farooq Miankhel, Wazir Ahmad Jogezai and Tariq Chaudhry are some of its members.

There are indications that a meeting of the IDG will be called soon to decide its future course of action.