LAHORE, Aug 1: Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan, Mian Muhammad Azhar, former chief justice of Pakistan Syed Sajjad Ali Shah, former National Assembly speaker Illahi Bux Soomro, ex-federal ministers Ghulam Sarwar Cheema and Wazir Ahmed Jogezai and ex-senator Tariq Chaudhry on Sunday called upon the government to make a categorical announcement that it would not send troops to Iraq.

At a meeting held at the residence of Mian Azhar on Sunday, they said at a time when the president and other top state functionaries were being targeted by terrorist groups, it would not be prudent even to think of sending troops to Iraq.

The country's security is more important than the security of US troops "for which Pakistan is being asked to send its troops," these leaders said. "The US troops would take care of themselves," they said.

Those present at the meeting have set up Pakistan National Forum, whose first meeting was held in Karachi some time ago. Sunday's was the PNF's fourth meeting at which Mr Asghar Khan was nominated as chairman, Illahi Bux Soomro chief coordinator, and Mian Muhammad Azhar, Syed Sajjad Ali Shah and Wazir Ahmed Jogezai, presidents of the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan chapters, respectively.

Head of the NWFP organization of the PNF would be announced subsequently. Yazdani Malik, Hanif Goraya, Muhammad Bux Tarar, Syed Nusrat Ali Shah and Advocate Liaquat Ali were also present at the meeting.

Mr Tariq Chaudhry told reporters that Syed Fakhr Imam and Begum Abida Husain could not attend the meeting because they were out of the country. However, he said, the couple agreed with the objectives of the PNF.

The PNF expressed serious concern over the prevailing law and order situation in the country and called for fresh elections under the supervision of an interim government and an independent election commission.

It underlined the need for steps for the supremacy of parliament and the constitution so that all important decisions were taken by legislators, not some individuals. Foreign policy should be reviewed to make it responsive to the present-day requirements, the forum demanded.

It said that political parties and national leaders should be provided with a conducive atmosphere for the performance of their duties. Recovery of the 'looted national wealth' and leaving the accountability to courts were some other demands made by the participants.

Although the demands are similar to the ones being repeatedly made by the ARD, Mian Azhar made it clear that the PNF would not join hands either with the ARD or the MMA. In response to a question, the former Punjab governor said he had supported Gen Musharraf for his seven-point agenda but the general had turned his back on the agenda.

Syed Sajjad Ali Shah called for the restoration of the 1973 Constitution in its original form, saying that such a step would make the basic law acceptable to all the federating units and help curb separatist tendencies. "The country would be saved," he said of the utility of his proposal.

The former chief justice also said Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif should be allowed to come back home and play their role in national affairs. He was critical of the referendum, on the basis of which Gen Musharraf became president, and said an army chief was not qualified to aggrandise himself as president.

Mr Tariq Chaudhry said the PNF would hold seminars in various cities to create awareness among the masses. Mian Azhar reiterated his demand that a judicial commission should be formed to look into the justification for the Kargil conflict.