LAHORE, May 5: The large-scale rigging in the presidential referendum has shattered people’s confidence and they can’t expect free and fair general elections in the presence of Gen Musharraf and the incumbent chief election commissioner.

This was stated by ARD President Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan on Sunday. He was speaking at a news conference at his residence.

He said free and fair elections were possible only if the ARD demand for the establishment of an interim government of national consensus and an independent and autonomous election commission was accepted.

The Nawabzada said the alliance would continue its struggle for the achievement of its targets.

The ARD, he said, would hold conventions at divisional and district levels as part of its campaign against the government.

The alliance, he said, would also publish white paper on the referendum farce.

He insisted that people had rejected Gen Musharraf as president by refusing to turn up at the polling stations. The administration, the Nazimeen and the pro-government parties had failed to bring voters to the polling stations.

He claimed people had boycotted the referendum on the ARD’s call.

Answering a question, the ARD chairman said he was starting contacts in connection with a new all-party conference.

According to the Nawabzada, if the general went ahead as planned, he would be the monitor of the post-election system and the prime minister would be a pygmy.

He said efforts were being made to set up an alliance of pro-government parties.