PESHAWAR, Jan 6: The Pakistan Muslim League-N has accused the government of engineering energy and flour crises in order to divert public attention from the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Sunday, the PML-N general-secretary Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said President Pervez Musharraf’s continued presence in the power corridors was dangerous for the existence of Pakistan.

He alleged that the ongoing loadshedding of power and gas, coinciding with the wheat flour crisis, had been engineered to divert the people’s attention from the growing protests against the rulers.

He said that Mr Musharraf was responsible for the growing division among the people and his departure from the power corridors was essential for the federation’s unity.

He accused the rulers of starting a battle against their own people by pushing them into one crisis after another in an effort to prolong their unconstitutional rule.

He claimed that only the PML-N, which was a popular force, could save the country from internal and external challenges.

He said the PML-Q was not a political party and instead described it as a group of opportunists, who had sacrificed the Constitution and the principles of democracy for personal gains by extending support to a dictator.

Mr Jhagra said the entire nation had pinned its hopes on the PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif, who was struggling against the unlawful and dictatorial rule of Mr Musharraf since 1999.

He said after the murder of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, only Nawaz Sharif could provide leadership to the masses.

Mr Jhagra said his party had made it clear to the rulers that it would not accept the elections if they were rigged.

He added that the PML-N had demanded of President Pervez Musharraf to step down immediately.

Answering a question, he said it had become difficult for any party to make seat adjustments with other parties because not much time was left before the elections.

On the occasion, the provincial general-secretary of PML-Q’s youth wing, Malik Zarawar Shinwari, announced his decision to join the PML-N.

Mr Jhagra welcomed Mr Shinwari into the folds of his party and claimed a large number of people, hoodwinked by the king’s party, were now setting ready to join hands with Mr Sharif.