SARGODHA, Nov 9: Former speaker and PPP central senior vice-chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani has said the Dargai incident has created a sense of insecurity among the public. He was talking to newsmen on his arrival here on Thursday to attend the marriage ceremony of daughter of MNA Tasnim Ahmad Qureshi.

Mr Gilani said the nation was depressed and felt insecure. “This tragic incident has created a sense of insecurity in the nation that when commander cannot protect his force, how can he ensure the protection of the entire nation against terrorism?”

Expressing his sorrow over the killing of 42 soldiers in a suicide attack on a military base in Dargai on Wednesday, the PPP leader said the military regime had failed to counter terrorism in Pakistan.

Gen Pervez Musharraf should learn a lesson from the crushing defeat of Bush in mid-term elections, he added.

He said the present regime was deliberately spreading rumours of a deal between with the PPP which, according to him, were part of a disinformation campaign.

He said neither he nor Asif Ali Zardari was released as a result of any deal.

“We have been trained to face odd situations for maintaining the supremacy of democracy and we will prefer to go to jail instead of compromising with a military dictator.”

Mr Gilani said for the last three years the regime was trying to tarnish the image of the PPP but people knew who struck deals with Gen Musharraf.

He claimed that the PPP was still enjoying massive support all over Pakistan and added that if fair and free election were held, the PPP would gain majority.

He said the PPP was still a part of ARD and “our main motto is to get rid of undemocratic rule.”

He said though the PPP was not in favour of a grand alliance, all opposition parties had developed consensus on a one-point agenda of ousting Gen Musharraf and reviving true democracy in the country.

He said PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto would come back when the election schedule was announced. She would not hesitate to go to jail in the larger interest of the country, he claimed.

He said there was no article in the constitution to keep the leaders of political parties in exile and even the present regime could not stop them from coming back.