LARKANA, Nov 26: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto says her party will sweep the coming elections if the emergency is lifted before polls, illegal transfers and postings are cancelled and irregularities in setting up poling stations are reversed.

Talking to journalists after filing her nomination papers for NA-204 (Larkana-I) and NA-207 (Larkana-IV) on Monday, she said her party would continue consultations with other political parties to work out a common agenda. “We need peace, not bullets, and sanctity of the ballot and the means to proceed to democracy.” Democracy could save Pakistan from disintegration, she added.

Answering a question, she said she had held talks with Gen Pervez Musharraf in order to ensure that he would hold free and fair election, provide a level-playing field for all political parties and quit his army post.

The talks, she said, were stopped when Gen Musharraf imposed the state of emergency. “We need an independent election commission, sanctity of the ballot and no violation of rules,” she said, adding that the PPP had written to the Election Commission about the irregularities — transfer of judges, ‘non-visible’ polling stations and bogus voters.

Ms Bhutto said the PPP had brought about a change and the homecoming of Nawaz Sharif was a positive sign.

Answering a question about reports that deposed judges had been asked to vacate their official residences, she said the judges deserved to be treated with respect and they should be freed. She also said that her party believed in the independence of judiciary, adding that the question of reinstatement of the deposed judges should be left to parliament.

She said the PPP did not compromise on principles during the days of previous dictators. Her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto walked to the gallows but did not compromise. She herself was jailed but did not bow before a dictator. Scores of party activists were killed and injured in the Oct 18 attack on her rally. Asif Zardari faced jail but remained unshaken, Ms Bhutto said.

She said the people were the best judge and they were aware of the sacrifices rendered by the PPP.

Ms Bhutto also visited the dargah of Syed Hussain Shah in Qambar and offered condolences to him on the death of his son Syed Gul Mohammad Shah.

Later, she went to the Larkana sessions court to file nomination papers for NA-204 and to Shahadkot to file papers for NA-207.

When she arrived in the Larkana session’s court, a large number of people gathered there and raised slogans of “Jeay Bhutto Sada Jeay” and “Wazir-i-Azam Benazir”. She was accompanied by Ms Naheed Khan, Senator Dr Safdar Abbasi, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Ayaz Soomro, Larkana district president of the PPP.