LONDON, Jan 18: PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif who is here for medical check-up confirmed on Thursday evening that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband had telephoned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif thrice after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Talking to Dawn the PML-N leader, however, did not elaborate what had transpired between the two during these telephonic contacts and neither did he try to nail the ensuing media speculation that perhaps the UK was now trying to promote Nawaz as a third partner in the proposed power-sharing arrangement after elections — the other two being the PPP and President Musharraf.

Sources in the PML-N here said that the party in consultation with Nawaz and Shahbaz had prepared plans to stage protest rallies and demonstrations against President Musharraf when he would be in London for three days starting Jan 25.

They said party workers and most Pakistanis living here were shocked at the insensitivity of Britain, France and Belgium for agreeing to host the visit of what they called a dictator who had dismissed the entire superior judiciary in his country and incarcerated scores of judges allegedly using martial law powers which he had transferred to the office of a civilian president before giving up his army post.

The planned demonstrations would focus on spotlighting Musharraf’s continued dictatorial rule despite his retirement from the army, they said.

The PML-N sources also disclosed that the party leadership was in the process of chalking up an elaborate programme for mobilising international opinion in case Musharraf postponed the February 18 elections or tried to rig them in favour of PML-Q.

Speaking at a press conference the same evening, Shahbaz Sharif said that it would be fatal for Pakistan if despite all warnings Musharraf went ahead and rigged the elections or postponed it.

In his opening remarks he paid glowing tributes to Ms Benazir Bhutto and said she was a national leader of international stature and that she was a brave and courageous lady.

He said that although the PML-N and PPP had different world views and were working on their respective manifestoes, his party would continue to cooperate with the PPP on the one-point agenda of ushering in democracy in the country and bringing an end to military coups for all times to come.

He dismissed as rumours reports suggesting that he would be meeting President Musharraf during the latter’s forthcoming European visit.

“I am going back on Sunday and I do not know when he would be here,” he said.

He also rejected rumours that Brigadier Niaz, a mutual friend of his and Musharraf was still trying to get the two to come to some understanding before the elections.

He said Nawaz Sharif had categorically stated time and again that there could be no negotiations or dialogue with Musharraf and had made his stepping down a non-negotiable condition to PML-N’s joining any national government.

He clarified that the PML-N wanted a genuinely neutral government and an independent election commission to hold the next elections.

“But we will fight elections because we think while contesting election would be a mistake, it would be a blunder if we don’t,” he added.

In answer to a question, he said, the PML-N would not grudge if the PPP swept the polls, but it would certainly question an election which gave majority to the PML-Q.

APP adds: Shahbaz Sharif characterised his party’s decision to participate in the elections as a choice ‘between the devil and the deep sea’.

He said the elections under the present set-up would be far from fair but despite this reservation, the party had no choice but to participate in the national elections.Shahbaz said he was using this proverb because if the party skips the election this would leave the field open for the PML-Q but at the same time the party has fears about the elections being flawed.

Supporting the call of the party’s head Mian Nawaz Sharif for a government of national consensus, he said the party feel that this would be best way to ensure the fairness and transparency of elections held under the supervision of the independent election commission headed by the recently retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Rana Bhagwandas.

He said this would also pave the way for the APDM parties who have boycotted the Feb 18 polls to take part in the national elections which in turn would give credence to the electoral process.

He said the country was passing through a critical period and hence national cohesion and unity was imperative.

Shahbaz accused the PML-Q of using a parochial card in the aftermath of Benazir’s murder.

He blamed the economy crisis, including the shortage of essential commodities, on the poor policies of the previous government.

He said the former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi had squandered millions of taxpayer’s money on non-development projects such as purchasing helicopter, plane and constructing grandiose offices in Lahore and Murree.

Defending his party’s advertisements, he said these were about the poor performance of the PML-Q government in the various sectors.

He said his party had attempted to heal the wounds of the people of Sindh and the party chief was the first politician to visit the Rawalpindi Hospital on learning Benazir’s death and the first as well to lay wreath on her grave in Naudero.

Admitting that the PPP would gain sympathy votes, Shahbaz said his party would not grudge if the PPP wins more seats in the elections.