ISLAMABAD, April 12: Former prime minister and chief of PML-N, Mian Nawaz Sharif, has ruled out any possibility of entering into a deal with President Pervez Musharraf, in order to be allowed to return to Pakistan, asserting that he would never accept him (Musharraf) as president, with or without uniform.

In an interview with a private TV channel, he said that he considered it an act of betrayal to hold talks with elements who had violated the Constitution.

He said he was prepared to wage a struggle for the restoration of democracy and people’s rights on his own, if the situation so demanded.

He also said he was determined to take part in the forthcoming elections.

He criticised army rulers for playing with the destiny of the country and said over the past eight years, they had mutilated the 1973 Constitution.

He could never even think of dealing with such elements, he added. He said that military dictators who had ruled for almost 32 out of 60 years since independence played havoc with the Constitution, instead of doing their main job of defending the country’s borders.

In reply to a question, he said that his meetings with People’s Party chief Benazir Bhutto were held in a democratic manner and all political parties working from the ARD platform wanted restoration of democracy in the country.

In replying to another question, he said that it would be unwise to trust Gen Musharraf and what he had done with the Chief Justice, should be an eye-opener for everyone.—Online