PPP statements damaging opposition efforts

Islamabad: Leader of the opposition Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman has criticised former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for reportedly having contact with President General Pervez Musharraf's government, saying it will "provide political advantage for a military dictator to remain in power".

"We are making efforts to see Benazir Bhutto among the leadership of proposed grand opposition alliance against the military dictatorship," he said while talking to Gulf News yesterday after returning from a six-day tour of India.

Fazal-ur-Rahman, leader of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal, said Benazir's recent statements regarding her party's negotiations with the government, have caused severe damage to the opposition's efforts for restoration of full democracy in Pakistan.

Willingness

Benazir, in a recent interview, expressed her willingness to take the office of prime minister for a third time while General Musharraf remains in power. Her statement has stirred a political storm in Pakistan where she was expected to lead the anti-government campaign.

"Any deal between the Pakistan People's Party and the government of Pervez Musharraf will be a serious blow to democracy and the military dictatorship will be the prime beneficiary of such a deal," Fazal-ur-Rahman said.

"Actually Benazir Bhutto was negotiating the deal to set aside cases against her and for some personal interests, just to pave way for her return to the country," he added.

Architect

All the cases against Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari were filed when Nawaz Sharif was in power and before General Musharraf deposed him.

Sharif's close confidant and head of National Accountability Bureau Saif-ur-Rahman was considered the architect of all these cases, but the legal process, in any case has not been completed thus far.