RAWALPINDI, Sept 1: The military takeover could have been prevented if Nawaz Sharif would have showed the same gesture of goodwill, which he is showing today in 1990 or 1996.

This was stated by the vice-president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam (PML-Q), Syed Kabir Ali Wasti, in a statement here on Sunday.

The PML(Q) vice-president said it was not that Nawaz Sharif felt pain for Benazir Bhutto or the people of Sindh, it was something else that prevented him from contesting the October general elections. “Nawaz Sharif is not going to contest elections because he is not allowed by the Saudis under the agreement,” the PML-Q leader said.

He said Mr Sharif had a history of reaching echelons of power through undemocratic means and carrying out drawing room conspiracies.

“In fact, he helped Gen Zia in a conspiracy against Junejo in 1988 and supported Ghulam Ishaq against Benazir in 1996,” Mr Wasti said. However, it was a very good opportunity for Nawaz Sharif to escape from elections, the vice-president added.