LAHORE, Oct 19: Deepening distrust between the PPP and the PML-N over the former’s reported contacts with the establishment appeared to have ended as Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif said after their meeting here on Thursday that nothing could stop them from returning to Pakistan to take part in the forthcoming elections.

Ms Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif led their delegations in the talks which started before Iftar and continued well into the night.

The two former prime ministers also held a one-to-one meeting for some time and exchanged views on various issues, reports received here said.

The People’s Party Parliamentarians chairperson told media people that the government’s contacts with some legislators of her party could not be called a deal.

Mr Sharif and Ms Bhutto told a crowded news conference that they would go back to Pakistan and take part in the elections, notwithstanding assertions being made by President Gen Pervez Musharraf that both of them would not be allowed to contest the elections.

Mr Sharif said that he had not signed an agreement binding him down to remain out of the country for 10 years.

Ms Bhutto called for impartial and transparent elections under the supervision of a ‘government of national consensus.’ She said that all the parties should be allowed to take part in the polls.

The PPP leader said if she and Mr Sharif were not allowed to go back, their parties would not be able to take their respective manifestoes to voters.

On the other hand, she said, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal would have a free hand to go the people and explain their manifestoes. Thus, she argued, parties contesting the elections would not have a level playing ground.

She predicted that the parliament would be dissolved in November next year and elections would be held three months later.

According to a participant, the PPP and the PML-N have differing views on the need for a grand opposition alliance.

It is said that Ms Bhutto reiterated her party’s reservations about joining hands with the MMA.

In talks, Ms Bhutto was assisted by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Sherry Rehman, Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Rehman Malik. Mr Shairf’s aides were Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Tehmina Daultana and Syed Ghous Ali Shah.

The meeting was held at the Park Lane residence of Mr Sharif and the press briefing at the Duke Street office of the PML-N.

A couple of days before this meeting, Mr Fahim had called on Mr Sharif and denied reports that the PPP was negotiating any deal with the rulers.

PML-N Secretary-General Jhagra, who was present at the meeting, had later told reporters that Mr Sharif was satisfied over the clarification made by the PPP leader.

Mr Fahim had claimed that the PPP and the PML-N fully trusted each other. It is said that the government’s likely strategy to keep the two major opposition parties out of the election also came under discussion.

Some leaders are of the view that in such a case, the polls should be boycotted. However, the PPP leadership does not support the idea.

Ms Bhutto said that Pakistan was passing through a serious crisis because of the policies of the rulers. She said that the government should take measures to stop regrouping of Taliban in Pakistan.

According to a participant, efforts will be made to take the democratic forces along to mount pressure on the government to hold free and fair polls.

He said that the option of resignations would be exercised at an appropriate time.