Bhutto's party to join poll fray

Karachi: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has decided to take part in the January 8 general elections, but will do so under protest while reserving its right to withdraw at anytime if the situation calls for, party chief Benazir Bhutto said on Monday.

Her decision comes as a blow to the opposition All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), sans Maulana Fazlur Rahman's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, which had announced that it would boycott the polls.

"The Peoples Party will participate in the elections under protest," Bhutto told Gulf News in a telephonic interview from Larkana.

Bhutto filed nominations papers in Larkana, her hometown, and Shahdadkot, yesterday.

However, the former prime minister said the option of boycott was still open. "We reserve the right to withdraw from the polls anytime," she said.

She added that if her party was to boycott the elections, it will leave the field open for President Pervez Musharraf and his allies.

She added that the PPP can also opt for a boycott if all the political parties develop a consensus in this regard, though political analysts said it was highly unlikely.

"We are not sure whether the APDM is actually boycotting the polls or not, because Maulana Fazlur Rahman is not doing so though he is part of the APDM, and Nawaz Sharif and others are also filing nomination papers," she said.

Bhutto said she was sure her party would return to power if the election are free and fair.

Safe constituency: Rahman opts for Bannu

MMA leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman has chosen a safe constituency in Bannu to contest election for the National Assembly though he would also try to retain his traditional seat in his native Dera Ismail Khan.

It would be the first time that the Maulana would be contesting election from Bannu, the home district of former NWFP chief minister Akram Durrani. It is believed that Durrani is unbeatable in Bannu after having undertaken massive development projects there in every sector.

He also used his powers as chief minister to serve his fellow Bannuchis by getting a large number of them employed on good positions.

- Rahimullah Yusufzai, Correspondent