PESHAWAR, Dec 26: Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao on Tuesday accused opposition parties of trying to destroy the democratic institutions of the country and put its integrity at stake in their attempt to reach the corridor of power.

Talking to a delegation here at village Akbar Pura, the interior minister said that the sole objective of the opposition leaders was to attain power and to achieve this they were not even caring for the stability of democratic institutions.

“The 21st century is not the era of negative politics as people have rejected the elements pursuing the same through ballot and by siding with President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz whose agenda is prosperity and development of the country,” he said.

Mr Sherpao said that people were neither ready to take to the street to protect the interest of opposition parties nor ready to become scapegoat. The opposition parties would gain nothing from their agitation calls against the government.

He reiterated that elections would be held on time and President Musharraf would be re-elected and opposition parties would not be able to pose any serious challenge to the ruling coalition.

Mr Sherpao, who heads his faction of the Pakistan Peoples Party, said the PPP would contest the upcoming elections with its own electoral symbol and would win the poll on the basis of its performance.—APP