ISLAMABAD July 19: Taking a cue from President Pervez Musharraf’s proposal for holding an All Parties Conference, PML secretary-general Mushahid Hussain Syed on Thursday said that such an APC should be held on a two-point agenda -- addressing issues of terrorism and formulating rules for the coming elections.

Speaking at a news conference at the party secretariat, Mr Mushahid welcomed Gen Musharraf’s proposal and said it should be utilised for an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties on the formulation of code of conduct for the next polls.

He said that terrorism was a big threat to democracy and political parties. However, he ruled out the imposition of emergency in the country. He said the government was in favour of involving all democratic forces in the mainstream.

Mr Mushahid said that exiled leaders, including Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, were at their own choice. “They should show courage to return home and participate in the elections,” Mr Mushahid said, adding that they should come to Pakistan to join political process and should not seek “no-objection certificates from Washington and London”.

The PML secretary-general stressed the need for initiating political process and election set-up in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He said that the American policy in Iraq and Afghanistan had failed.

Mushahid mentioned his visit to Nanto’s parliamentary assembly in Brussels where the Nato supreme commander and secretary-general appreciated President Musharraf’s role in fight against terrorism.