Benazir Bhutto has sought her political rival Sharif's cooperation in devising a joint strategy to prevent any attempts to rig the general election.
ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto has sought her political rival Nawaz Sharif's cooperation in devising a joint strategy to prevent any attempts to rig the January 8 general election.
Bhutto, the Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), discussed the matter with PML-N chief Sharif during a telephonic conversation on Tuesday night. The two leaders also discussed the political situation, especially the upcoming polls, the 'Daily Times' reported today.
"She shared some reports concerning pre-poll rigging by the PML-Q (the party which backs President Pervez Musharraf) with Nawaz," the newspaper quoted a PML-N source as saying.
Bhutto urged Sharif to devise a joint strategy to thwart any "poll-rigging plans", sources said. Sharif told close aides that since both the PPP and PML-N had decided to contest the polls, they had no option but to mobilise the masses to "foil the PML-Q's plans".
The two leaders also decided to meet again before the elections, the sources said. They had met for the first time after both returned to Pakistan from exile to discuss a possible boycott of the polls but were unable to reach an understanding.
Sharif's political secretary Pervez Rasheed confirmed that the two leaders had had a telephone conversation, but refused to give details.
He said "political issues always come under discussion when politicians talk to each other. It was a brief conversation and nothing significant was discussed in it."
Bhutto and Sharif have both alleged that the government intends to indulge in "massive rigging" to benefit the PML-Q. They have also said their parties will organise protests if the polls are rigged.
Musharraf has dismissed their allegations and said the elections will be "absolutely fair and transparent".
Meanwhile, Sharif said yesterday that the PML-N would make seat adjustments with the PPP only in the southern port city of Karachi.
He told that no proposal was being discussed with the PPP for seat adjustments anywhere else in the country.
He insisted that the leaders of the PML-Q had devised a plan to rig the polls and alleged that they were using state machinery for this.
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