KARACHI. Dec 11: The exile of ousted Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif sparked a clamour of calls today for the military government to restore democracy as soon as possible, reports AFP.

Politicians and analysts said military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, who toppled Sharif in a bloodless coup in October last year, now had no excuses to delay a return to democracy.

Imran Khan, former cricket hero and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-lnsaf (PTI) party, said the Sharif episode has added to a sense of "hopelessness and despair which can only be bridged by a new and dynamic political leadership.”

"The PTI demands of the government to finish Its limited agenda as soon as possible and hold free and fair elections," Khan said in a statement.

"Only a credible political leadership can pull the country out of its present political and economic

Musharraf has vowed to stamp out corruption and rebuild the economy before returning the country to "genuine democracy" with general elections due before October 12.2002.

Local elections a^e scheduled to begin later this month under a bold devolution plan designed to bring democracy to the village level.

"1 think the military government may try for a safe exit while keeping control of the future democratic set-up," former Sindh provincial governor Fakhruddin G. Embrahim said.

Others said Sharifs presidential pardon, releasing him from lengthy prison terms for hijacking and tax evasion, and his sudden departure into exile over the weekend could signal a change in Musharraf s plan.

This is the best time for Musharraf to announce elections. though I do not support the

decision to send Sharif into exile." said Nazim Haji, the secretary of Reformers, a non-govemrnental organisation.

Members of Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League said that with Sharif effectively muzzled. Musharraf might be planning to revive the parliament that was suspended after the coup.

"1 think the government has two things In mind, restoration of the suspended assemblies or fresh elections." central leader Raja Zafarul Haq said.

"They should give some direction otherwise people will start saying the army wants to prolong its tenure."

In October Musharraf admitted his popularity was waning and raised the prospect of inviting "somebody to run the government."

"If we were not performing, I would be the first person to be thinking of ways to bring somebody who can run Pakistan