Polls to have no legitimacy sans Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz: Rabbani tells Rocca

The opposition on Thursday told the United States in categorical terms that the 2007 elections would have no legitimacy sans Ms. Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif's participation. Leader of Opposition in the Senate, Mian Raza Rabbi expressed these views here while apprising the US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca of political situation in the country. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman did not meet the US senior official. He was of the view that if she was interested, he is available in his chamber at the Parliament House.
Raza Rabbani alleged that the rulers were using the war on terrorism to victimise the opposition parties while claiming they believed in democratisation and tolerance, and above all enlightened moderation.
The PPPP Senator pointed out that the people in the country expected of the US to show the same degree of concern for democracy in Pakistan as it did vis-à-vis the Central Asian Republics.
"There is a contrast in what the rulers say and what they practice. They deny level playing field to the opposition," he charged.
Rabbani also briefed the US Assistant Secretary of State about the sentiments of the Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere over the desecration of the Holy Quran at the Guantanamo Bay.
Referring to President Musharraf's invitation of talks to the opposition, he said that if Musharraf wanted to talk to the opposition, he should write to Ms. Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, adding in practical terms, he did not want to contact the two ex-premiers.
His (Musharraf's) efforts, Rabbani alleged, were aimed at dividing the opposition parties.
He mentioned removal of elected mayors and of efforts to replace them with handpicked administrators by the chief ministers for massive rigging of the polls.
The Opposition Leader in the Senate said the government had drawn up a plan to rig the elections whenever these are held and as a first step, the local government polls would be rigged.
He made it clear that the solution to the country's problems depended on free and fair early elections with the participation of the PPP and PML-N leaders.
About the 2002 elections, Rabbani said the electoral process could not bring stability as these were held without Ms. Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
He said that the reports about PPP's possible deal with the rulers was a mere hoax, adding every time the party declined to give up its demand for fresh elections, the regime activated the so-called Swiss investigations.
He informed the US official about the detained political leaders, including Javed Hashmi, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Pir Mukaram Shah and others. Raza Rabbani narrated the story how the authorities had reacted to party leaders and workers' preparations to accord welcome to Asif Ali Zardari in Lahore.