LAHORE, April 28: ARD Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, who is also secretary-general of the NWFP organization of the PML(N), proposed on Sunday that the APC should be converted into a formal alliance to make collective efforts for the restoration of democracy and mount pressure on the military regime to hold elections under an arrangement demanded by opposition parties.

Talking to Dawn, he said he would soon take up the matter with parties in the ARD and the APC to have it approved by them. He said deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was anxious for an early restoration of democratic order, would be very happy to support the idea.

The APC is being retained as a separate entity along with the ARD as until recently the PPP was not willing to sit with religious parties.

However, the PPP and religious parties have softened their attitude towards each other and it was for this reason that the PPP, shunning its previous reservations, had participated in the April 26 APC hosted by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan.

The APC as a formal alliance would have a greater impact, the ARD secretary-general said.

Mr Jhagra said he was encouraged by harmony of thought among political parties of all shades of opinion, as witnessed at the APC in Lahore, and irritants harboured by various parties, if any, already stood removed.

In his opinion political parties would be doing a great national service by taking a collective decision on participating in or boycotting the October general elections.

He said if all parties decided to stay away from the elections held under the supervision of the military regime, the international community would not give any importance to such polls.

But, he said, if any party individually took such a decision, it would mount no pressure on the government and the rulers would feel free to hold elections according to their own plans.

Parties in the ARD and APC have repeatedly demanded the formation of an interim government of national complexion to ensure free and fair elections. But, President Musharraf has consistently rejected such a demand.

Mr Jhagra said to get results of his own liking, Gen Musharraf could also go for partyless elections. To forestall such a possibility, he said, it was imperative that political parties took a united stand. About the Supreme Court judgment upholding the referendum order, the ARD leader said it would hold ground till the PCO was in force. The day the 1973 constitution was restored, Gen Musharraf would come under obligation to seek approval of parliament.

In his opinion, the Supreme Court had put Gen Musharraf in a very difficult position by validating the referendum order under the PCO.