ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: Information secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday welcomed the statement of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto demanding Gen Pervez Musharraf’s resignation as the president and hinting that her party might not take part in the elections if held under him.

Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, the PML-N leader said that Ms Bhutto’s agreeing to joint opposition’s demand of General Musharraf’s resignation was a step forward in the nation’s march towards getting constitution and judiciary restored.

Mr Iqbal said the PML-N was waiting for Ms Bhutto’s reply to Nawaz Sharif’s letter. He said there was now consensus among opposition parties, lawyers and civil society that for fair and free elections Gen Musharraf must resign to pave the way for neutral caretaker government, constitution and judiciary should be restored, restrictions from media should be removed, all political detainees should be released, an independent election commission should be set up, and all parties and leaders should be allowed a level-playing field.

He said the PML-N’s stand had been vindicated and everyone today was saying that Gen Musharraf could not give Pakistan democracy.

“He (Gen Musharraf) has become too controversial and longer he stays in power more destabilised the society will get. Pakistan can’t afford to let its political crisis linger on indefinitely due to its nuclear status. We need to make the transition to democracy and constitutional governance as speedy as possible,” he said.

Mr Iqbal regretted that Gen Musharraf had pushed Pakistan to the brink of a diplomatic nightmare. He said Commonwealth countries’ decision to suspend Pakistan’s membership if Musharraf didn’t reverse his extra-constitutional actions by Nov 22, introduction of a bill in US Senate seeking suspension of Pakistan’s economic and military assistance if Musharraf didn’t restore constitution and judiciary and Japan’s foreign minister’s declaration of actively considering suspension of Pakistan’s economic aid, and negative stories appearing in global media are diplomatic nightmare for Pakistan. Unfortunately, he said, one man was holding the whole country hostage to his political ambition.

Mr Iqbal said the PML-N will not accept elections under emergency and without restoration of pre-emergency judiciary.

Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday he added the parties which would take part in the elections under martial law would only strengthen the hands of Gen Musharraf and would be considered part of those who imposed unconstitutional acts on the people of Pakistan. He described filing of petition against emergency in the Supreme Court as a government-sponsored drama.

The PML-N leader said elections under emergency would be a replay of fraudulant 2002 presidential referendum.