MUZAFFARGARH/MULTAN, Dec 25: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto said on Tuesday that the force that was supposed to defend the country and its borders (army) was being used against own countrymen. She pointed out that the operation in Balochistan was still on.

Addressing public meetings in Muzaffargarh and Lodhran, she condemned the Charsadda blast and said the killing of innocent men offering Eid prayers was no service to Islam.

Ms Bhutto said the PPP believed in peace, but it had never accepted any dictator “civilian or in uniform”.

She said that negotiations with Gen Musharraf in 2002 had failed because the PPP did not accept an army general as president of Pakistan.

She claimed that her decision to hold talks with the government this year had given the country a civilian president and a full-time army chief.

The PPP chairperson said the separation of presidency from the General Headquarters was a first step for the transition to democracy, but the next step was fair and free elections. “I hope that total powers will be transferred from the dictator to democratic institutions.”

She said that Mr Musharraf had promised to the world and to the nation that free, fair, transparent and credible elections would be held. “I will keep an eye on Musharraf to see whether he fulfils his promise or not.”

Ms Bhutto said the PPP believed in provincial autonomy, security of rights of women, minorities and powerless people.

On the occasion, she introduced new slogan of the PPP: “Chahta hai har insaan, ilm, roshni, kaam (Every human being wants knowledge, electricity and work”, and “Chahta hai har insaan, roti kapra aur makaan (Every individual needs bread, clothes and house)”.

Ms Bhutto, who had started her journey in the morning from Lodhran by addressing a public meeting there, said the country was facing a crisis and people were being deprived of their rights.

She said that extremist forces had tried to establish their writ in tribal areas of the NWFP and near the Afghan border and they were fighting against the army.

Ms Bhutto urged the people not to vote for PML-Q candidates, “who were involved in plunder of national resources”.

The PPP did manage a big gathering in Muzaffargarh, but the Lodhran show was poor.