Sharif, Shujaat say Benazir’s death an irreparable loss for Pakistan

Pakistan's main opposition parties have said that the death of former premier Benazir Bhutto is an irreparable loss for the country.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif said Benazir spent her life struggling to turn Pakistan into a real democracy.

In a statement on her first death anniversary, Sharif said they had signed the Charter of Democracy to bring real democracy in the country, adding December 27 called for implementation of the charter and expediting the struggle for restoring real parliamentary system in the country.

He said genuine democracy would have been restored in Pakistan if Benazir was alive.

However, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid president Shujaat Hussain said despite having political differences with the PPP's former chairwoman, he saw Benazir's death not only as loss for the people of Pakistan.

He said the country was passing through a very critical situation and all the political forces should put aside their egos and combat it together.

Shujaat told reporters "the two biggest parties are in power and they should take the initiative to start dialogue with other parties on all national issues especially the present situation".

He said he was very surprised that one party was part of the government and the opposition simultaneously, adding it should decide whether it was with the opposition or the government.

To a question, he said the current situation demanded unity among the political forces in the country. Shujaat said his doors were always open for dialogue but the other parties' response was not as positive.