PESHAWAR, Oct 20: Opposition parties in the NWFP have offered mixed reactions to the government’s move of convening an All Parties Conference (APC) while some provincial leaders say they would decide about their participation after consultation with the central leadership.

ANP provincial general-secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that only party’s central command would take a final decision about the participation.

He, however, opined that the APC would not deliver the desired results at this stage because government’s measures are adversely affecting the political atmosphere in the country.

He said the ANP’s stand on President Musharraf’s uniform was clear from day one. “If the government is sincere in restoration of democracy, it should hold free and fair elections.”

PML (N) provincial secretary-information Arshad Qureshi said that party’s central working committee would decide about it. However, he clarified that his party would never compromise on its principled stand. He said his party would welcome the APC if it was convened from the APDM platform.

Nighat Yasmeen Orakzai, the provincial secretary-information of the ruling PML, termed the holding of APC a timely step in right direction. She said the present situation in the country demanded complete cohesion and harmony in the ranks of political leadership.

Ms Nighat said the present regime had in the past also invited political parties and it had again extended invitation to opposition leaders to pull the country of current crisis.

“Opposition leaders should set aside their differences and participate in the APC. If we do not unite today, the coming generation will not forgive us,” she added.

She said all opposition parties should come forward and work for political reconciliation in the country.

JUI (F) secretary-information Maulana Jalil Jan said party’s central shura would take a final decision about the participation in the APC in its meeting scheduled for Oct 24 in Islamabad.

He said the present government had failed to create political harmony in the country.

He said the government was not sincere in holding the conference, adding that opposition parties should convene their own APC which would have better results.

Jamaat-i-Islami general-secretary and former MNA Shabbir Ahmed Khan said the government was responsible for the present unrest in the country.

Former MPA Ghaliba Khurshid said that a collective strategy should be evolved to meet the challenges of terrorism.

She appealed to the politicians to adopt collective stand for effectively tackling the issues confronting the country.—APP