ISLAMABAD, DEC 4: Pakistan's discredited and disgraced political parties formed a new opposition alliance demanding an immediate end to the military rule and restoration of democracy in this poor South Asian nation, according to newspaper reports on Monday.The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, represents 18 parties, including those of two ousted prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif - one time arch-enemies.The other 16 parties range from ethnic and nationalist groups to small religious organisations, which have a history of sharp political and ideological differences."We have put behind our differences for democracy," Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, head of the new alliance told a news conference on Sunday. "Today our priority is to return the country to democracy."In response to the new alliance, the military government said it would stick to its agenda to clean up Pakistan's corrupt political system and hold general elections in three years in keeping with a Supreme Court ruling."The government has been attaching prime importance to restoration of the supremacy of law so that people could have direct access to justice," the state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan said quoting a government spokesman, who was not identified by name.In Pakistan's rough and tumble politics one-time enemies become allies. Khan, for example, once led an alliance which worked to topple Sharif's government. Ms Bhutto was part of that alliance.In October 1999 the army threw out Sharif's government in a bloodless coup on charges of corruption and misrule.Local elections for district and municipal councils will begin later this month and will last for several months.Khan's new alliance warned the army government against making changes to the constitution and demanded an immediate transfer of power to a caretaker government of politicians who would oversee elections.His new alliance will lead peaceful demonstrations. "We will launch a peaceful, non violent campaign to press for our demands," he said, but did not elaborate.Meanwhile, an estimated 35,000 lawyers held a one-day strike on Monday in the eastern Punjab province to demand an immediate return to democracy. Courts throughout the province were closed.Most political parties, including many in the new alliance, had welcomed the military takeover, accusing Sharif of destroying institutions, undermining the constitution and runaway corruption.Sharif, who is currently in jail serving a life sentence on charges of hijacking and kidnapping, also faces several corruption charges.Bhutto, who divides her time between Britain and the United Arab Emirates, was convicted in absentia of corruption and sentenced to five years in jail when Sharif was in power.Corruption is a major issue in Pakistan where four successive governments have been ousted on corruption charges since 1990.Frustrated by years of corruption and misrule by elected governments, most Pakistanis welcomed the army last year.
