Mass movement, if polls rigged, says Benazir
By Asghar Ali Mubarak

ISLAMABAD—Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the PPP Benazir Bhutto has waned the regime against rigging the forthcoming polls saying that any attempt to manipulate elections would lead to a country wide movement by the opposition parties.
Talking to media persons during visit to the darbar of the Peer of Golra Sharif near Islamabad on Thursday BB said that the PPP wanted peaceful transition to democracy through fair and free elections and with this end in view had decided to participate in the elections under protest.
However, the scheme of rigging that had been devised by the regime had forced the opposition parties to plan a movement in case their demands for free and fair polls were not met. She said that the regime initially wanted to run away from the elections by imposing emergency but under great pressure had to give a date for elections.
It had therefore now drawn up plans to rig the polls, she said. Bhutto said that the opposition parties were drawing up a charter of minimum demands for free and fair elections and will give the regime a date by which to implement it. The former Prime Minister said that if the demands were not met and the rigging plan was pursued the opposition parties would launch a massive movement against it.
She also condemned the move to deprive the sacked judges from their right to pension. In reply to a question she said that she thought that the issue of sacked judges should be decided by the next parliament. Mohtarma Bhutto also met the PPP candidate for the NA seat from Islamabad Dr Israr Shah who had also come to the darbar. Israr Shah had lost both legs in the bomb blast in the aborted meeting of CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry in the district courts Islamabad in July last.
The former Prime Minister paid glowing tributes to Dr Israr Shaha for his courage and sacrifices for democracy. She said that the courage of Israr Shah despite his disability was a source of inspiration for all those struggling for democracy and rule of law. She called upon the people of Islamabad to vote for Israr Shah in the forthcoming elections.
She also said that she will soon visit the central election office of Dr Israr Shah. While talking to the Peer Ghulam Moinuddin she said paid tributes to the saints and soofis for playing a great role in the spread of Islam through their message of love, peace and harmony.
PPPP secretary general Raja Pervez Ashraf also spoke on the occasion and paid tributes to the family of Peer of Golra Sharif. She was received at the darbar by Peer Ghulam Moeenul Haq gillani of Golra Sharif. After visiting the mazar she also visited Peer Shah Abdul Haq Gillani the sajjada Nasheen of Golra Sharif. Mohtarma Bhutto was accompanied by Raja Pervez Ashraf secretary general of PPP Parliamentarian, Chaudhy Yasin senior vice president of the PPP AJK, former MNAs Sherry Rehman, Ms Naheed and former senator Farhatullah Babar.
Opposition parties neared agreement Wednesday on a list of demands of President Pervez Musharraf in return for calling off a boycott that could spoil the legitimacy of January parliamentary elections, an official said. The negotiations came as the government prepared to expel two U.S. rights activists who have protested the arrest of Supreme Court justices and leading lawyers since Musharraf introduced emergency rule Nov. 3.
The meeting between representatives of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif and other smaller parties are crucial to an opposition push to challenge Musharraf’s political dominance. Bhutto spent the day meeting with foreign ambassadors, including the U.S., British and Saudi envoys.
“We have done most of our job but still need more time,” Sen. Khursheed Ahmed, who is on the eight-member opposition committee, said after the talks finished for the night.