ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy has not yet made any decision regarding participation in the next general elections if they are held under President Pervez Musharraf’s rule, says ARD secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra.

Speaking at a news conference here on Saturday, Mr Jhagra said Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief Nawaz Sharif was planning to convene a conference of all opposition parties in London in an effort to come out with a joint strategy on the issue.

Mr Jhagra, who is also the secretary-general of the PML-N, said his party strongly believed that elections under Gen Musharraf could not be free and fair.

He said Mr Sharif wanted a consensus on the issue so that a strategy could be chalked out to oust Gen Musharraf before the elections. He said the opposition parties should think about the plan to stop Gen Musharraf from holding another rigged election. “We want a strategy to stop elections under Gen Musharraf,” he said.

Mr Jhagra refused comment on reported statements of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto and ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim to the effect that the PPP was ready to take part in the elections under Gen Musharraf.

The ARD secretary-general said no date had been finalised for the conference but the PML-N wanted to hold it between Feb 10 and 20.

In response to a question, Mr Jhagra refuted Ms Bhutto’s reported claim that Mr Sharif was also engaged in talks with the regime through backdoor channels.

“The PML-N has no backdoor or front door contacts with the rulers,” he said.