Bhutto says her PPP party likely to boycott general elections

Source: Xinhua | 11-14-2007 08:18

Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto (C) speaks along with other party leaders during a news conference in Lahore Nov. 11, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto said Tuesday that her party will possibly boycott the upcoming general elections, local media reported.

Bhutto made the remarks in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore during a telephone interview with a group of reporters.

She also urged Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to resign and ruled out the possibility of serving under Musharraf in the future government.

"It seems unlikely that the People's Party will participate in the upcoming elections," she said.

Bhutto said that she would seek to build an alliance to restore democracy with other opposition leaders, including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Pakistani riot policemen cordon off a street leading to the residence of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Lahore, 13 November 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The chairperson was staying at the PPP leader Latif Khosa's residence in Lahore before a planned march to protest against the state of emergency in the country, the suspension of the constitution, the detention of judges and arrests of lawyers and political workers.

According to local media reports, police officials arrived at the Khosa house early Tuesday with detention orders for Bhutto, who would be confined under house arrest for seven days to prevent her from leading a long march of over 300 km from Lahore to the capital of Islamabad.

Musharraf declared a state of emergency in the country and issued a provisional constitutional order on Nov. 3. On Nov. 11, he also announced that general elections including the national assembly and the provincial assemblies would be held simultaneously before Jan. 9.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf attends a news conference in Islamabad Nov. 11, 2007. Musharraf, giving a timetable for a general election by early January, said on Sunday he could not give a date for the end of emergency rule. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

But Bhutto said that fair, free and transparent elections were not possible under the state of emergency.

The Commonwealth on Monday gave Pakistan a 10-day deadline to restore its constitution and lift other emergency measures or face suspension of its membership in the 53-nation bloc.

Pakistan's foreign ministry responded on Tuesday that the country strongly rejected the deadline and expressed "deep disappointment and regret" over the ultimatum.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei