Describing upcoming parliamentary polls as the “mother of all elections”, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday warned that there would be “zero tolerance” for any protests during and after the exercise.

Musharraf also took a pot-shot at political parties saying they lacked internal democracy and made it clear that he would continue to exercise “checks and balances” in the democratic order that would be formed after the February 18 general election.

In an address to the National Library here, he said, “I am extremely conscious of the fact that these (polls) have to be free, fair and transparent. The entire world is watching us. National prestige, peace and harmony and our future are at stake.” Asserting that the polls to the national and four provincial assemblies will be conducted in a peaceful manner under security cover provided by the army, Musharraf said, “In this environment of terrorism and extremism, any agitation, anarchy, chaos will not be tolerated. Let this serve as a warning to all those who think that they can disturb the peace of the country.”

The major problem among political parties, he said, is that they were not “throwing up leadership through the democratic process”.

“Unfortunately, democracy is lacking in our political parties, and therefore you don’t get leaders. Leaders and office-bearers are appointed from the top. Their power should come from the people who have put them in those offices,” Musharraf said. He also made it clear he intended to play a key role in the new order to be established after the polls, which leading opposition parties like the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) have alleged will be “massively rigged”. He indicated that he intended to retain constitutional powers that would allow him to sack an elected government.

Musharraf also asked all political leaders to “show grace” in accepting the election results. “They should not show arrogance if they win, and they should show grace if they lose (by) accepting the result,” he said.
Musharraf alleged that some leaders were already “making dossiers about rigging” to use in protests if they lose the polls.