ISLAMABAD, Oct 21: The only PPP candidate for the office of prime minister is Benazir Bhutto. PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar on Saturday said that if Ms Bhutto would be banned from contesting, the PPP would sit in opposition. Either the will of the people would prevail or the mockery of democracy would be illustrated.

He said that there was no question of nominating another PPP leader as the leader of the house in the event of a PPP victory in the next general elections as was considered in the 2002 general elections.

Mr Babar refuted the spate of reports and statements by official spokesmen and the latest by Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed that Aftab Shaban Mirani would get much more prominence. He said that any claims of an agreement between the PPP and government were wrong

He said that for the last seven years there had been many speculations about government and PPP deals, whereas the PPP and its leadership had paid the heaviest price to keep the torch of freedom, liberty and equality alive.

The PPP was committed to democracy, he said, adding that it was also committed to the legislative package drawn up with the ARD on the ‘charter of democracy’.