PESHAWAR, July 12: The Awami National Party’s NWFP chapter has welcomed the formation of the All Parties’ Democratic Movement (APDM), while the Jamaat-i-Islami has criticised Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto for keeping away from the conference of opposition parties in London.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, ANP’s provincial president Afrasyab Khattak said democratic institutions could not flourish in the country without free and fair elections and bringing an end to military rule. He said it was imperative to form a grand opposition alliance to provide genuine political leadership to the masses.

He said lawyers had already launched a movement for the independence of judiciary and he hoped that the new alliance would play a decisive role for the restoration of the constitution and democratic institutions in the country.

He said the ANP would play a leading role to pull the country out of the political crisis and ensure that elections were held in a transparent manner.

Provincial Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said in a statement that Ms Bhutto had tried to support the dictatorship by not attending the conference.

He said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal would knock out the pro-America parties in the elections.

He denounced the operation in Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa and demanded that the Supreme Court should conduct an independent inquiry into the incident to inform the nation about the motives behind the assault.