LAHORE, Nov 6: Makhdoom Amin Faheem, the Pakistan People’s Party senior vice-chairman, said on Tuesday he trusted President Gen Pervez Musharraf to hold the general elections in October next year. There was no need, therefore, for a movement to mount pressure on the government for the purpose.

Talking to Dawn by phone a day after his meeting with the president at the head of a party delegation, the Makhdoom said he had directed party officials to prepare for the elections.

The PPP leader said he regarded Gen Musharraf as a gentleman and trusted that he would hold the elections according to the directions of the Supreme Court.

Under the apex court’s verdict, the government is under obligation to implement its agenda and complete the electoral process by October 2002.

The 16-party Alliance for Restoration of Democracy has been holding rallies across the country during the past two years to demand that the rulers should set up an interim government of national complexion and hold elections within 90 days. However, the Alliance has been inactive in the wake of US attacks on Afghanistan.

Asked whether he would advise his colleagues in the ARD to forget about a movement against the government and prepare for the elections, Makhdoom Amin Faheem said he would apprise the Alliance leadership of his talks with President Musharraf. A final decision, he said, would be taken by the coalition chief, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan.

The PPP leader said in the past the situation had not been ripe for an anti-government movement. Nor was there a need now for such a step, he said.

He said a new year would start in about two months and the government would also start preparations for election, implying that the time left was so short that there was no need for a movement or anti-government rallies.

Asked about the possibility of Ms Benazir Bhutto’s return from exile as a result of PPP’s talks with the president, the Makhdoom said the party had expressed its point of view. He said talks had been “inconclusive” in this respect. He said the PPP had asked the president to allow a safe return to Ms Bhutto.

When he was asked what the government could do to enable the former prime minister to return to Pakistan, the PPP leader said it should withdraw all cases against Ms Bhutto since all of them were politically-motivated. He said justice demanded that an action initiated by Ms Bhutto’s political adversaries should be set aside by the present rulers.

Even if the chairperson did not return for some reason, the Makhdoom said, the PPP would continue to work as usual.

Answering a question, he said he saw no possibility of an interim government being formed for the sake of holding elections. Also, he said, there was little likelihood of the government inducting political people in the cabinet.

Asked whether the PPP now recognized Gen Pervez Musharraf as president of the country, Makhdoom Amin Faheem said: “Gen Musharraf is sitting as president and everybody is meeting him as the head of state. There’s no confusion about it”.

He said the PPP delegation had met Gen Musharraf in his capacity as president.