PML-N Acting President Javed Hashmi has said that Benazir Bhutto wants to quit the opposition, "but we will force her to stay with us". He was addressing here his first news conference after release from jail on bail on Sunday at PML-N provincial office.
PML-N Punjab chapter president Zulfiqar Ali Khosa, General Secretary Ashfaq Sarwar, MMA Punjab president Liaquat Baloch, MPA Abdul Ghafoor and others were also present on the occasion. "The party which claims to be champion of democracy should not talk with the dictator", he said.
The PML acting president vowed to start a movement and to send General Pervez Musharraf back home. He advised the opposition parties to forge unity and start struggle against the rulers as time for nomination of candidates and distribution of tickets "has not arrived yet".
He said the general elections would be held without the supervision of General Musharraf and the nation would soon hear good news "about his departure".
Javed said he had spent four years in Jail, and outside the jail the situation had entirely changed. He said that during his jail period, he continued his struggle to serve the country and the party. He said it was ample proof that no government could confine the political worker in jail and suppress his voice. He said that ARD was still intact, and termed PDM as the biggest alliance of Pakistan. He said it was early to say whether ARD would continue its performance or not. He said he feared that if PPP would continue to violate the 'Alliance' it could be broken.
He said that Benazir had always claimed that she worked against establishment, dictatorship and in favour of democracy, liberty and for the basic rights of the people, "but now she is involved in negotiation" with the government. "According to 'Charter of Democracy', both parties had committed that if anyone violated the charter it would be accountable to the masses", he said.
The PML-N leaders said that Nawaz Sharif "has a genuine stance" of one-point agenda which would thwart the motives of the dictators. He said that question did not arise that elections would be held under the supervision of General Musharraf. He paid tributes to the movement of lawyers' community as they had proved beacon of light for the political parties. He said that media had played its important role and presented true picture before the masses.