Pak opposition fails to reach deal on poll demands

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KARACHI: A policeman detained a supporter of opposition Islami Jamiat-e-Talba during a protest demanding the reinstatement of sacked judges here Friday. — Reuters Photo

ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (Reuters): Pakistani opposition parties have failed to reach agreement on demands to set the government to ensure their participation in next month's election, making a united opposition boycott increasingly unlikely.
Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, both recently back from years in exile, are trying to forge a 'charter of demands' to present to President Perez Musharraf to ensure a fair election and their participation.
A boycott by the two main opposition parties and smaller allies would deprive the vote of credibility and prolong instability that has raised concern about the nuclear-armed US ally and its efforts to fight growing Islamist militancy.
After three days of talks the parties have agreed on 13 demands they hope will allow a fair vote, including ensuring the neutrality of a caretaker government made up Musharraf supporters and reconstituting the Election Commission.
But they have been unable to agree on whether to demand the restoration of dozens of judges dismissed by Musharraf after he imposed emergency rule on Nov. 3, and whether to set the government a deadline to meet their demands.
"We have differences of opinion over the restoration of judges and giving a deadline to the government to meet the charter of demands," Sharif told reporters in Lahore.
Musharraf has ruled out reinstating the judges, including the former chief justice and other Supreme Court colleagues who Musharraf accused of meddling in politics.
The Supreme Court was about to rule on challenges to Musharraf's October re-election by legislators when he imposed the emergency and purged the court, apparently fearing it would rule his re-election while army chief unconstitutional.
While not wishing to appear to abandon the judges, who have won public support for their stand, analysts say Bhutto also does not want to boycott the vote and is loathe to make her participation conditional on demands Musharraf won't meet.
Asked about the differences, Bhutto said more consultations would be held. A Sharif party spokesman said the parties' leaders would try to settle the disagreements.
Bhutto has said a boycott would only leave the field open to Musharraf's allies.
She has said her party would reluctantly take part in the election, which she accuses the government of already working to rig, while reserving the right to withdraw or to protest against an unfair result.
The fate of the judges should be decided by the next parliament, she says.
Bhutto has already issued a manifesto and on Friday, before flying to Dubai on a private visit, said her party had drawn up a campaign plan and was preparing to launch it.
"We've chalked out our campaign. They need a few days to print the posters, to set the stage and publicise our events," she told reporters.
Sharif's party says the deposed judges must be reinstated and the independence of the judiciary restored, rather than going into a flawed election that could undermine faith in the ballot box, and a deadline for meeting the demands must be set.
AFP from Islamabad adds: Former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto left for Dubai early Friday to see her children, her spokesman said, taking time out from campaigning for January 8 elections.
Bhutto had planned to leave late Thursday, but the trip was delayed in a mix-up over her passport, spokesman Farhatullah Babar told the news agency.
Babar said she had to return from the airport because she was carrying her old passport which had expired.
"She left this morning," he said, adding that she would stay in Dubai for three or four days.