ISLAMABAD: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) has put a condition before the government for national reconciliation, demanding the return of Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif back to the country.

The ARD meeting passed a resolution, asserting that baseless cases against  PML (N) leaders Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, PPP leader Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chairman Mohajir Qaumi Movement Afaq Ahmed and other political leaders and workers should be withdrawn immediately.

"The return of the exiled leadership, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, would prove that the government was sincere in holding talks with the opposition and creating atmosphere of national reconciliation," said ARD Secretary-General Zafar Iqbal Jhagra while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.

Earlier, the alliance held a meeting under the chairmanship of Makhdoom Amin Fahim.Iqbal Jhagra told mediapersons that the government was posing as if it was busy in reconciliatory efforts, but the fact was that it was creating misunderstanding among the opposition parties in a bid to divide them.

He vowed that the ARD would continue its struggle for the revival of the Constitution in its real form; return of armed forces to barracks and free, fair and transparent election in the country in year 2005."

To achieve this objective, he added, the ARD was ready to hold negotiations with any one and would also seek support from other opposition parties. "But all the negotiations would be held under the umbrella of ARD," he asserted.

Jhagra said the PPP during the meeting assured the participants that no deal was being made with the government and that negotiations would only be held from the platform of the ARD. Replying to a question, he said the ARD did not believe in coming into power through back doors. He said the alliance's leadership would soon go to Dera Bugti, and the dates for the visit would be announced soon after consultations with JWP chief Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The ARD leader was of the view that the government had failed to resolve the issue of Balochistan as the situation in the province was going from bad to worse. "Balochistan is still tense as only roads in Sui are open while the situation in other parts of the province was not changed," he added.

Jhagra said when the parliamentary committee on Balochistan was established the ARD had welcomed it and even it prayed for the success of the government team when the latter visited Dera Bugti for talks. "But all the claims of the government proved mere slogans as no positive change had emerged in Balochistan," he added.

He said the ARD was of the opinion that the Balochistan problem could only be tackled thorough negotiations and the use of force must be avoided to avert 1971-like situation. On the government's policy on Kashmir, he said the ARD thought that the solution of Kashmir could not be left alone to a single person.

"The ARD believes that the United Nations resolutions provide basis for the settlement of the Kashmir issue, and it emphasises the need to move towards its settlement with national consensus in accordance with the UN resolutions," he maintained.

He said the ARD was not against the confidence building measures and having good neighbourly relations with India but it has reservations on putting the Kashmir issue on the mat. "Because of the UN resolutions, Kashmir has become an international issue," he added.

The meeting condemned government's steps to disrupt reception for Asif Ali Zardari, and considered arrests of thousands of workers coming from all the four provinces, registering false cases of terrorism against them, and sealing the provincial borders as violation of human rights and an attempt to harm the federation.

The meeting also took serious note of the prime minister's "claim" of reducing poverty and unemployment as mere deception. The meeting was of the view that ever-increasing poverty, widespread unemployment, galloping inflation, continuing fall of stock exchange index had led to loss of billions of investors' money and the unabated rise in taxes was clear evidence of the failure of economic policies of the rulers.

The meeting also expressed its concern over rising lawlessness, insecurity, robberies and incidents of rape and Karo-Kari, and linked these conditions with complete failure of the government.