Pak polls: Sharif rules out alliance with Bhutto

The PML-N, which had been pushing for a boycott, changed its stance after it failed to convince Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party and the faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman to abstain from the election.

“After having failed to convince them (Bhutto and Rehman) for a boycott, we came back to the All Parties Democratic Movement and made this very strong recommendation that we must participate in the elections to block (President Pervez) Musharraf’s unconstitutional actions,” Sharif told Dawn News channel.

Asked if he would form an electoral alliance with the PPP, Sharif ruled out any pre-poll alliance with any party, including the PPP.

“We are not going into any electoral alliance with any party. We will be contesting the elections ourselves and we have no intention of forging any alliance with any other party,” he said, adding the PML-N could have seat adjustment with “certain parties”.

Sharif said he had not been in touch with Bhutto, who is currently in Dubai to meet her family, since last night’s meeting of the APDM that decided to allow the opposition alliance’s constituents to decide independently whether to boycott or participate in the polls.

He, however, kept the door open for further contacts with Bhutto. “There was hardly any time to get in touch with her, she is in Dubai. Let her come back, let’s see how we perform in these coming days in the election campaign…If there is any need to get in touch with each other, we will do so.”

Sharif, who on Monday formally kicked off his election campaign, explained that the PML-N decided to contest the polls after it failed to finalise a charter of demands with the PPP to ensure free and fair elections.

The two parties also could not agree on a deadline for the government to fulfil the charter of demands, he said.

“In our meeting with Benazir Bhutto in Islamabad a few days ago, it was very clearly understood and agreed that we will announce a cut-off date (for fulfilling the demands) before the elections,” he said.

The charter of demands “didn’t materialise” and Bhutto “said we have to give the deadline after the elections”, Sharif said. “So I don’t know what will that mean — giving a deadline after the elections?”

Sharif said the “number one item” on the PML-N’s agenda is the reinstatement of judges of the superior judiciary who were sacked for not endorsing the emergency imposed by Musharraf.

“And if this demand is fulfilled by Musharraf before the elections, we will be very happy. But if it is not, we will keep struggling till we get the judges restored to the position of November 2 (before the imposition of emergency),” he said.

Sharif said the “sole reason for not filing an appeal against the rejection of my nomination papers was that we didn’t recognise these judges who have taken oath under” emergency regulations.

The nomination papers of Sharif and his brother Shahbaz have been rejected for their conviction or alleged involvement in various criminal cases.

“We are fighting this election for a different cause the restoration of rule of law and the constitution of 1973 and (I am) not looking forward to becoming the prime minister of this country,” Sharif said.

“Whether I am in the process or I am out of the process, the cause is alive. That is what really matters.”

He said the PML-N would decide on a strategy to get him elected to parliament “if we have the necessary means and the power through the elections to change and undo everything that Musharraf has done”.

The PML-N, Sharif said, will contest almost 100 per cent of seats in Punjab province, a stronghold of the party. It will contest 90 per cent of seats in the North West Frontier Province, more than 70 per cent in Sindh and 50 per cent in Balochistan.