ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: People's Party Parliamentarians spokesman Senator Farhatullah Khan Babar has refuted claim made by Information and Broadcasting Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed that the government is in contact with the PPP over seat adjustment for the next general election.

Talking to Dawn on Friday, the senator termed the claim "outlandish" and an attempt to create rift among the opposition parties. The information minister had claimed on Thursday that the government was in constant touch with the PPP and that there was every possibility that the ruling party would contest the election in collaboration with it.

Senator Babar said it appeared that some elements in the regime were unnerved over the pledge made by PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief Nawaz Sharif to jointly struggle for the restoration of democracy, holding of free and fair election this year and restoration of the 1973 Constitution.

"The PPP will defeat the henchmen of military dictators in the election rather than joining hands with them through electoral adjustment," the senator said. He said the democratic opposition parties had demanded election during this year "even as the political orphans grouped under the tutelage of ambitious generals were opposing it for fear of their own political survival".

Responding to a question, Mr Babar said the PPP had been in contact with government functionaries and elected representatives at different levels since 1999 but there was no direct contact with President Gen Pervez Musharraf or his representatives.

He said the party did not know whether those who held talks with it at different times had the blessings of Gen Musharraf or not. He ruled out the possibility of any seat adjustment with the PML.

In a statement, Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra alleged that the rulers were trying to create mistrust among the opposition groups through a dis-information campaign as they were upset after the meeting between Mr Sharif and Ms Bhutto.

He said the opposition parties would not compromise on the rule of democracy. He said all the democratic forces were ready to launch a decisive movement against the regime to end dictatorship permanently.

He said the PPP and the PML-N would soon prepare a charter of democracy and the ARD leadership, in its next meeting, would review the possibility of joining hands with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for a final round against the government.