May 6, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1424

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QUETTA, May 5: Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the central leader of the MMA, has categorically declared that there will be no compromise on LFO as no individual or institution except Parliament has the right to amend the Constitution.

Talking to Dawn in federal lodge here on Monday, after arriving from Islamabad on a few days visit to Balochistan, the Amir of Jammat-I-Islami said that the MMA wants that Gen Pervaiz Musharraf should become President through Parliament and quit the COAS post as this would be the only way to steer the country out of political and constitutional impasse.

Replying to a question that the deadlock on the LFO would pave the way for Martial-law, the MMA leader said the people will not welcome ultra-constitutional methods as they do not want that the army generals should govern the country.

He said that in present circumstances people support the politicians being not corrupt therefore President Musharraf must recognize the ground realities that people back a powerful Parliament and supremacy of the Constitution.

Qazi Hussain responding to another question said that we will not be losers if President Musharraf adopt rigidity and said that in confrontation both President Musharraf and PML-Q government would fall wherein people will be victorious to restore the Constitutional rule in the country.

The MMA leader said that his party did not want to establish a precedent that an individual could amend the Constitution as tomorrow another general would use power to distort the remaining portions of the Constitution.

He observed that PML-Q government would have not constituted a committee on LFO with opposition parties without the consent of President Musharraf and added that president wants bargaining to remain in power.

He criticized President Musharraf for calling Parliament members as uncivilized and maintained that the president himself was responsible for bringing such people in the assembly.

Qazi Hussain said opposition parties were holding negotiations and dialogues with government to resolve the LFO issue in a democratic way.