ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy on Saturday refuted a statement by Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed that the government was in contact with opposition parties and efforts were being made for national reconcilia-tion.

At separate news conferences, Pakistan Muslim League-N information secretary Siddiqul Farooque and People's Party Parliamentarians secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf said the minister's statement was part of a 'disinformation campaign' being run by the government.

Mr Farooque said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had asked him to clarify it to people that the party did not believe in holding talks with an 'usurper and dictator'.

He said Mr Sharif was not ready to accept any proposal other than the restoration of the constitution as it was on Oct 12, 1999.

Mr Farooque said the minister's claim that the government was in contact with the Sharif family was nothing but a 'lie, propaganda and part of a disinformation campaign.' He alleged that the minister had issued the statement only to damage the opposition's movement against the government.

He said no one was mediating between the Sharifs and the government and added that such claims were being made only to create differences between Mr Nawaz Sharif and Mr Shahbaz Sharif.

He said those trying to create rift in the Sharifs would not succeed.

At his press conference, PPP secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf denied reports of any deal between the government and his party. He said Asif Zardari had been released after a long legal battle. Moreover, he said, Mr Zardari had been released on the order of a Supreme Court bench that included the chief justice. Therefore, he maintained, linking Mr Zardari's release to any deal tantamount to contempt of court.

In reply to a question about the information minister's claim of reconciliation, Mr Ashraf said he never "took statements of Sheikh Rashid Ahmed seriously."