Dubai: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said his party will contest elections even though he does not trust the Election Commission to hold free and fair elections.
"It would have been much better if the February 18 elections are not held under the current Election Commission because we do not believe in them," Sharif, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), told reporters on his arrival at Dubai International Airport on Sunday.
He warned of anarchy in Pakistan if the elections are rigged. The opposition parities have agreed to launch an agitation in case the elections are rigged.
Clad in Pakistan's national dress — white Shalwar Kameez with black waist coat — Sharif waved to the crowd gathered at the airport to receive him.
Slogans
Though he looked tired probably due to hectic schedule in the run-up to the elections, he stopped to shake hands with people and also spoke to media. His supporters shouted slogans like "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif" and "Go Musharraf Go".
Before being driven off in a car, the two-time former prime minister said: "It seems Pervez Musharraf does not want to hold elections but he is being forced to do so."
Calling the elections a farce, he said he has no hope about the fairness of the elections and its results as the government is determined to rig the polls.
"It looks like it's going to be a useless exercise leading to chaos in the country because Musharraf is not sincere in holding impartial elections," he said.
"But our party will contest the elections to send military back to the barracks, reinstate the judges, free the press and restore the complete democratic system in the country," Sharif said.
To a question, Sharif said he would continue to cooperate with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to restore democracy and to fight against rigging of the elections.
Personal visit
Sharif, whose nomination papers were rejected by the Election Commission for the February 18 polls, has already announced that he will contest by-elections to make way to the parliament.
He is now also a candidate for the premiership if his party gains a majority in the assemblies.
Regarding his visit to Dubai, he said: "I am here for personal reasons and nothing to do with politics." Sharif is expected to fly back on Monday.
His wife Kulsoom Nawaz is already in Dubai and his daughter who is married to Senator Ishaq Dar's son also lives in Dubai.
Prominent among those who received Sharif at the airport were: Chaudhry Noorul Hassan Tanveer, chief coordinator of PML(N) for Middle East; Chaudhry Altaf, president of the PML(N) UAE; Tahir Bashir, general secretary; Haseeb Ejaz, information secretary.
