LAHORE, March 18: ARD President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi says “undemocratic forces” may be made to surrender if opposition parties quit their assembly seats. The key to the crisis is now with the opposition parties, and if they give up their seats in assemblies, the sacrifice will not go waste, he said in a statement on Saturday.

Hashmi said it was now the duty of the opposition to make sure that fresh elections were held in October 2006.

“The ball is now in opposition’s court. People are seeing towards us for their religious, political and democratic liberties. If the opportunity is lost, people will hold the opposition rather than the government responsible for their problems”, said Hashmi, who is also acting president of the PML-N.

The ARD president appealed to all political parties to keep national interests in mind while preparing their future plans. — Staff Reporter