June 3, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 2, 1424

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LAHORE, June 2: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal declared here on Monday that it would not soften its stand on the Legal Framework Order even after the acceptance of its demands concerning Islamization, and religious parties would work in close coordination with other parties in opposition to mount pressure on the government to bring the set of controversial constitutional amendments to parliament for approval.

Liaquat Baloch, one of the MMA’s representatives in the constitutional committee working to find a way out of the LFO’s jigsaw puzzle, told reporters that the opposition was fully united and with its strong nerves it would “force dictatorship to retreat.”

In his opinion chances of an agreement between the government and opposition parties were “fifty-fifty”, though President Musharraf’s negotiating team was using all pressure tactics to get maximum concessions from the Opposition.

Mr Baloch likened the present situation with the one when the battle had entered decisive phase and the warring parties stepped up firing to strengthen their respective bargaining positions.

He said demands for Islamization enjoyed backing of all MMA components and religious parties had been broaching these subjects quite frequently, although PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain accepted them on Sunday.

The Opposition, the MMA leader said, was not oblivious of the fact that President Musharraf, as a last resort, could pack up the entire system he had given after his three-year rule. But, he warned that the exercise of such an option would not be easy one as, unlike October 1999 when they had acquiesced the overthrow of the then government, the Opposition parties would bring the people on the streets.

In response to a question, Mr Baloch said there was no deadlock in the talks and the LFO controversy could be resolved through negotiations.

Referring to the situation after en masse resignations by all district Nazims of the NWFP, the province being ruled by the MMA, he alleged that the very fact that resignations had been submitted to the president established who was pulling their strings.

He said the president was duty-bound to refer all resignations to the NWFP government which, he claimed, was in a position to resolve the dispute amicably.

Mr Baloch alleged that the system of district governments had been fashioned by President Musharraf for use as electoral college for the president. But now that the powers that be had failed to bring their favourites in two-thirds majority in assemblies, the same system was being used as an instrument against parliament and democratic institutions.

The MMA, he emphasized, wanted the system to continue and under the Constitution provincial governments were competent to reform it to make it responsive to the present-day needs.

He proposed the formation of a committee, comprising representatives of all four provinces, to review the system and recommend reforms.

Mr Baloch expressed his disappointment over the six-month performance of the Jamali government, saying an uncontrollable decline had been witnessed in all spheres of life. The policies given by President Musharraf, and being pursued by the present government, had become burdensome for the country and their continuity in the future would add to the common man’s problems.

The growing unemployment among doctors, engineers, computer experts and other skilled workers and professionals spoke volumes about the failure of the economic policies.