Pakistan: Sehba won't contest poll

Ruling out the possibility of fielding Begum Sehba Musharraf as a covering candidate for her husband and President Pervez Musharraf in the October 6 poll, Pakistan Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani said Sehba had no intention to contest the election.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League will field a person from each province as covering candidate for Gen Musharraf in the presidential poll, he said.

Responding to a query on the Opposition threatening to resign from the assemblies if the presidential polls were held, Durrani said, "These threats are a challenge to the democratic traditions."

He claimed that whoever tenders resignation will not return to the assemblies.

"We have majority votes in the assemblies and we will get President Musharraf re-elected by the ballot power. The threats of resignation and confrontation are against all democratic norms and the masses have rejected these tactics in the past and will do the same in future," the minister said.

On the talks with the Pakistan People's Party, Durrani said the dialogue process with the opposition parties was continuing and it would continue in future.

The Minister asserted that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had left the country under an agreement and he would have to complete the term.

Durrani also reiterated the government's stance over corruption charges against PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto's return from evile, saying nobody was above the law.