KOHAT, Aug 8: Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, senior vice-president of the Pakistan Muslim League (QA) and former federal law minister, has said that the government’s efforts to introduce “real” democracy will fail if what he called the “corrupt leadership” of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) are allowed to return to the country and participate in the October elections.

Talking to newsmen at his residence on Thursday, he said no deal was being struck between the government and Mian Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, as President Pervez Musharraf had himself assured him and other politicians that Mr Nawaz and Ms Bhutto would have to face the courts before participating in the elections.

Mr Gilani was of the view that the government was facing two biggest challenges: putting democracy back on the right track and maintaining the law and order in the country. The future government would have to tackle the security issue first so that the confidence of the investors was restored, he added.

“Unless our economy is stable, we cannot survive in the fast changing regional scenario.”

When asked as to who would be the future prime minister, he remarked that only the president knew his name, but one thing was clear that whoever he might be, he would be an honest and neutral person.—Correspondent