Islamabad, July 22: Charging Pakistan 's military ruler Pervez Musharraf with attempting to "insitutionalise dictatorship", fomer premier Benazir Bhutto has warned that his move to exclude her from the poll process would embolden militants and marginalise the moderate forces.
"I cannot be banned from politics nor disqualified from taking part in elections. Elections without the PPP (her party) will sham elections without credibility. Those would embolden the militants and hardliners while marginalising the moderate forces," Bhutto said in an interview to 'the news'.
"Musharraf's attempts to block me under laws that violate the constitution make a mockery of his pledge to hold free and fair poll," Bhutto who is in exile, mostly living in London, said adding she was "still planning to contest the elections. My advisors are looking into this."
She termed Musharraf's proposed constitutional amendments as "Bhutto specific" saying he was trying to "institutionalise dictatorship".
The amendments "puts all the powers into the hands of a military-backed president," she said warning that the Presidentail powers would "sooner or later" lead to a Tussel between the president and the new parliament "even if the elections are rigged and a pliant parliament is formed on the basis of rigged elections."
"Another military ruler, General Zia, also fell out with a hand picked prime minister and the same can be repeated," said Bhutto.

Bureau Report