PESHAWAR, May 18: Castigating the government plans to bar election of a person as a prime minister for third stint, central leader of Pakistan People’s Party, Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that the proposed constitutional amendments were against the norms of democracy and the party would fully agitate against it.

“It is the will of the people which shall prevail and the army generals have no authority to play with the destiny of the people,” he told newsmen in the premises of Attock Fort, about 60km from here, where he was brought in connection with hearing in asset case.

Asif Zardari claimed that his spouse Benazir Bhutto would definitely return to Pakistan before October elections. He criticized Gen Musharraf for issuing statements that Ms Bhutto would not be allowed to contest polls, stating that the general had no authority to issue directives as only the courts and election commission authorities were empowered to stop any person from contesting polls.

“Even Ziaul Haq had issued same statement that he would not allow the PPP to form government, but time proved that the masses were with PPP,” Mr Zardari said. He added that the recent statement of Commonwealth was encouraging as it had expressed concern over deviation of Gen Musharraf from the prescribed roadmap.

Answering a question regarding tension between India and Pakistan, he said that there was a general perception that the present regime wanted to divert attention of the masses from the referendum fiasco and other pressing domestic issues due to which it had been staging dramas.

He added that Gen Musharraf had given first post-referendum gift to the nation in the shape of enhancement in prices of petroleum products.

About entering into alliance with other political parties for the coming elections, he said that alliances were part of political process and the PPP would definitely like to enter into alliance with like-minded parties.

Asif Zardari was apprehensive about fair and impartial polls in the country, stating that under the present regime they had not been expecting fair polls.

When asked did he expect that he might be convicted in any of the cases pending against him to bar him from contesting polls, the PPP leader expressed the hope that the presiding officers of concerned courts would have learnt lesson from the chapter of Justice Qayyum and they would not convict him on the directives of the government.

Meanwhile, an accountability court presided over by Mazhar Minhas adjourned hearing in the reference to May 28, after recording evidence of two prosecution witnesses.

Advocate Farooq H. Naik appeared for the defence, whereas special prosecutors Iqbal Bhatti and Tanveerul Islam appeared for the National Accountability Bureau.

The witnesses appeared before the court were a joint secretary of Ministry of Interior Khalid Masood, and secretary of Sakrand Sugar Mills Naqi Imam. So far, the court has examined 31 witnesses.