April 28, 2003	Monday	Safar 25, 1424

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NOWSHERA, April 27: Senator Maulana Samiul Haq has stated that talks between the government and joint opposition on the Legal Framework Order (LFO) have entered into a crucial phase, saying that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) would take all decisions with a clear conscience and in greater national interests.

Maulana Sami, who heads his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, said that in the next round, talks would be held on seven points as the government and the joint opposition had already agreed on 22 points.

Speaking to newsmen at his residence in Akora Khattak here on Sunday, the MMA’s senior vice-president said the religious bloc wanted to secure the supremacy of parliament.

The president should also show flexibility in issuing statements against the religious parties or the joint opposition, which he warned could harm the talks.

He remarked that if President Musharraf agreed to relinquish the army chief post, the MMA and other opposition parties would readily accept him as president.

The MMA leader said that both the government and the opposition parties wanted that parliament should remain the supreme body and the deadlock over the LFO should end. But for this, the government should also include all the smaller parties in the negotiations, he suggested.

In the presence of Article 58 2(b) and the National Security Council (NSC), parliament could not be called supreme, he said, adding that the government should also play a role to end the deadlock and nullify the controversial article and NSC, which he termed extra-constitutional.

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