LAHORE, Feb 20: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy has asked the United States, the European Union and the Commonwealth to immediately depute observers to monitor “pre-polls rigging” by the army government.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, ARD’s deputy information secretary Munir Ahmad Khan said Gen Musharraf’s support for a certain group of politicians was exposed when he openly wished success in politics to a member of the group at a public ceremony the other day.

Alleging that the general was misusing his authority, he warned Imran Khan, Farooq Leghari, Tahirul Qadri and the Like-minded group that they could not win against “real representatives” of the people even if they formed an alliance under the patronage of the military government.

He said the world bodies which had promised to send their observers to monitor the October, 2002, polls, should take note of the government’s actions.

He said President Musharraf had told US authorities during his recent visit to the country that he was neither forming a party nor supporting for the forthcoming elections. He said efforts were being made behind the scenes to bring together certain politicians and constitute an alliance of the pro-government parties.