LAHORE, Dec 16: ARD President Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan says the political system in vogue cannot be termed as democratic and his alliance will continue struggle for the restoration of genuine democracy.

Talking to newsmen at his residence on Monday, he said the presence of the PPP and the PML-N legislators in assemblies did not mean that they had recognized or legitimized the system.

He said parties in the ARD were present in assemblies only to be able to continue their struggle for the restoration of democracy within the house and outside.

He said even in pre-partition days representatives of Muslims and Hindus were part of the assemblies created by the Raj. But their presence had not legitimized the British rule.

He did not agree with the suggestion that the ARD’s presence in assemblies implied that it had accepted the system given by Gen Musharraf.

The Nawabzada pointed out that while taking oath all opposition legislators had made it clear that their allegiance was to the 1973 Constitution of which the Legal Framework Order was not a part.

He castigated those who had agreed on the participation of the MQM in the Sindh government despite the fact that it was calling for a new constitution.

He said the responsibility lay specially with Gen Musharraf who had been saying it again and again that he would hold the country’s interest supreme.

The ARD president said the MQM had been promised governorship of the province plus 55 per cent ministries. A party which was demanding rights in accordance with the 1940 Resolution did not merit such a treatment at all, he said.

He said the ARD would decide its future course of action at a meeting to be held here on Dec 19. “Everything under the sun will be on the agenda of the ARD.”

It is said the bye-elections, the horse trading carried out to enable Mr Jamali to form government, the formation of Sindh government and a mass mobilization programme would come under discussion at the ARD meeting.