BAHAWALPUR, Jan 21: Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan and MMA’s Liaquat Baloch have said PPP’s refusal to attend the London multi-party moot convened by PML-N was not good for the cause of democracy in the country.

At a joint press conference here on Sunday, the opposition leaders said they were surprised over PPP’s decision expressing party leadership’s inability to attend the MPC to be held next month in London.

They said PPP leaders’ participation in the MPC would have helped build up pressure on the regime for the restoration of ‘real’ democracy and holding transparent election in 2007. It would also have strengthened democratic institutions in the country, they added.

They said PPP’s decision had disappointed those involved in struggle for restoring democracy in the country.

The two leaders regretted that the opposition so far could not take a joint stance on its members’ en-bloc resignations from the assemblies in response to the decision to get President Gen Musharraf re-elected from the present assemblies for next tenure. They, however, vowed to oppose the re-election.

They said the opposition would launch a `massive’ movement against the government after Muharram, and for the time being it was mobilising public for the coming elections.

To a question, Imran Khan said he supported the demand for a Saraiki province, adding that even there could be fifty provinces if such a scheme proves helpful in solving the people’s problems.

He also demanded provincial autonomy and an independent judiciary in the country.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan informed the media that four of his workers had been detained by police, who also damaged the sound system being brought for the press conference.

Condemning the incident, he demanded release of the detained workers.