LAHORE, Oct 22: The ARD on Friday released a white paper on the five-year performance of the Musharraf government, saying it had throttled democracy and forced two popular leaders - Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, to live in exile.

Central Deputy Secretary Information Munir Ahmad Khan lashed out at the Musharraf government at a press conference and said the country stood divided and chaotic due to its policies.

He was accompanied at the conference by Lahore PPP acting President Azizur Rehman Chann. In the overview of the Musharraf goverment since its inception on Oct 12, 1999, he said after taking over power Gen Musharraf had created the PML-Q and a compliant parliament.

"In order to simultaneously keep the offices of the chief of the army staff and the president, he appointed a technocrat as prime minister despite the fact that he had nothing to do with the country's politics," he said.

He said soon after taking over power the president had stated that the army had moved in as a last resort to prevent any further destabilization of the country and had no intention to stay any longer than was absolutely necessary to pave the way for true democracy to flourish in Pakistan. But, during these five years not a single step had been taken to fulfil this promise, he said.

Mr Khan said the president had also outlined a seven-point agenda in the supreme national interest to change the fate of the masses but had never implemented it.

He alleged that if one compared with the conditions in the country before Oct 12, 1999, nation today was more divided, the law and order situation worsened, the state institutions totally politicized, the power monopolized by an individual, the poor people were committing suicides and the corruption was record high.

Mr Khan said the so-called success story of the government on the economic front had already been set aside by a record increase in poverty, price hike and unemployment. The people were divided on important national issues like the provincial harmony, NFC Award, Kalabagh Dam, Gwadar Port, Sui gas fields, and Greater Thal Canal.

He mentioned the military operation in South Waziristan and said the five-year military rule showed pronounced anti-American sentiments in Pakistan. "Here democracy stood throttled and human rights trampled.

Mr Asif Ali Zardari is behind the bars for the past eight years without the establishment of any case against him and leading politicians Javed Hashmi and Yousaf Raza Gillani were convicted for questioning Gen Musharraf's misrule in the country," he said.

Mr Khan alleged that financial corruption had flourished under the present government. He said the president was keeping the war against terrorism as a personal affair. "He must instead transfer this responsibility to nation through the cabinet and the elected parliament, and by leaving his military office."

He took exception to the bill passed by the parliament allowing holding of the two offices by the president and said the action itself was unconstitutional. He claimed that all bar associations and elected bodies had expressed their no-confidence into the government.

Mr Khan contested the government claims of maintaining $12 billion foreign reserves, claiming half of them were remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis and the rest bought from the market. There had been no foreign investment, no reduction in imports or increase in exports, he claimed.

He alleged that there was poverty, inflation and unemployment and the government had removed from service 34,260 employees. The rates of utility services had been increased. The government was using the NAB to win-over loyalties of politicians, he alleged.

Replying to questions, he said the PPP had never supported the military take-over of Gen Musharraf. "It had also raised voice against the wrong steps of the Nawaz government but it did not mean that it wanted army to intervene. At present, the PPP did not want the replacement of the present setup by another adventurist," he said.