LAHORE, April 7: ARD president Javed Hashmi says reports that the elections may be delayed for a year are reflective of the fears of the rulers.

In a press statement, he said it was a pre-decided issue as to when the elections were to be held, and those talking of delaying the process were afraid of facing the electorates.

Delaying the polls or saving the ruling party from a defeat was out of the control of the military rulers, he said.

He said Gen Musharraf was no longer in a position to take decisions. In case the opposition parties did not play their role, the nation would never forgive them, he said.

The ARD president believed that in case the opposition parties got united, elections would be held by somebody else, not Gen Musharraf.

He said this time around the voters would protect the ballot as well as the ballot boxes.