LAHORE, Sept 21: An ARD leader alleged here on Sunday that government agencies were forcing opposition legislators to change loyalties, offering incentives as well as threats.

At a news conference, alliance’s deputy information secretary Munir Ahmed Khan said anti-PPP forces were also being gathered on one platform to counter the party of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

Questioning the justification for military leaders’ indulgence in political matters, he said in a democratic polity such a situation was not conceivable.

He said ARD leaders would be meeting in Islamabad on Sept 25 to discuss the political situation in the country and chalk out future course of action.

He said half a dozen public meetings would be held before the month of fasting and at least three had been scheduled for the subsequent month. The purpose of these meetings was to mobilize the masses.

According to him, both Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif had issued instructions to their respective parties to take an active part in the anti-government campaign.

The ARD leader defended alliance’s decision to keep away from talks with the government, especially when the rulers were determined to change the basic structure of the Constitution. This policy, he said, was in line with the decisions taken at various APCs.

He said the constitutional package given by the government was beyond the competence of the present parliament to approve. According to him, the legislators would have to seek fresh mandate from the electorate before bringing in any fundamental change to the basic law.