ISLAMABAD, March 8: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on Thursday formally approved a seven-point agenda for the multi-party conference (MPC) of opposition parties scheduled for March 24-25 in London and alleged that the government was looking for excuses to postpone the coming elections.

The seven-point agenda, read out by ARD secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, includes: restoration of the 1973 Constitution to the position of October 12, 1999; establishment of a sovereign parliament through free and fair elections under a national consensus government minus Gen Pervez Musharraf; setting up of an independent Election Commission in consultation with opposition parties; setting up of an independent judiciary; removal of unconstitutional hurdles in the way of return of the exiled leadership to the country; resistance to the plan of Gen Musharraf to get himself re-elected from the incumbent assemblies; and countering the government’s move to give extension to the present parliament and postpone the elections.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the heads of component parties of the alliance at the Central Secretariat of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) here, ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim warned that there would be a complete chaos in the country if the government tried to delay the elections.

"Elections should be held in time as there seems to be no logic behind postponing them," he added. He took exceptions to recent statements by Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Ghouri and ruling PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain demanding and hinting that the elections could be delayed for one year.

He also lamented the statement of Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq threatening imposition of martial law in the country. Without naming the minister, he termed the statement "political blackmailing", saying the country was already under the military rule.

Mr Fahim expressed his concern over the poor state of affairs in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and called for a judicial probe into the matter. He also criticised the government for carrying out retrenchments in several institutions, including Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited and PIA.

Replying to a question, Mr Fahim said PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto's decision of not attending the MPC was final and there was no need for further discussion on this issue.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, PPP secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf, ARD deputy information secretary Munir Ahmed Khan, PPP information secretary Sherry Rehman and ARD coordinator Malik Hakmin Khan were also present in the meeting.