ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: Secretary general of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has not been invited to attend the public meeting of the opposition parties to be held at Liaquat Bagh on August 14.

Talking to Dawn after a meeting of the PML-N’s Central Working Committee (CWC) here on Thursday, Mr Jhagra said the public meeting in Rawalpindi on the Independence Day was being arranged from the platform of the newly-formed All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) and as the PPP was not part of this movement, therefore, it could not be invited.

Mr Jhagra claimed that at the time of the formation of the APDM in London last month, the PPP leadership had sought some time from the other opposition parties before taking any decision regarding joining of the movement. However, he said, the PPP leaders had not yet given any reply and the APDM leaders were waiting for their decision. He said if the PPP decided to join the APDM before August 14 then the party would definitely be invited to the public meeting.

The PML-N leader said they did not require permission from anyone to hold the public meeting. He said they had only informed the administration about their decision and they would hold the public meeting in any case even without permission.

Earlier, briefing mediapersons about the CWC meeting, Mr Jhagra said it had been decided that the APDM would also arrange rallies between different cities as part of the mass mobilisation campaign against the regime. He said the proposal to hold a train march was also under consideration.

Mr Jhagra, who is also the secretary general of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), evaded several questions regarding the fate of the ARD after formation of the APDM and the meeting between President Gen Pervez Musharraf and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. He, however, said the ARD was still intact.

Avoiding any direct attack on the PPP, he said those parties which would hold negotiations with the military dictators could not remain part of the ARD. Similarly, he said, if any party including the PPP violated the Charter of Democracy it would be considered out of the ARD. He said the party had serious objection to the meeting between Gen Musharraf and Ms Bhutto.

Mr Jhagra said the rumours about imposition of emergency in the country proved that the rulers were in a state of panic. He said no one could dare impose martial law or emergency in the country after a successful movement for the independence of judiciary. He said the only solution to all the problems was resignation of Gen Pervez Musharraf.