July 10, 2003	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 9,1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 9: The government-opposition dialogue promised by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on the floor of the lower house on Monday is likely to start in three to four days, informed sources told Dawn here on Tuesday.

When contacted for his comments, Pakistan Muslim League (Q)’s secretary-general Salim Saifullah Khan told Dawn that Chaudhry Shujaat was expected to return home latest by July 10, implying that it would then be possible to hold the proposed meeting.

Prime Minister Jamali in his talks with the opposition leaders had reportedly offered that following the talks, an amendment bill will be brought in the assembly containing the points on which the two parties concurred.

The sources said the Jamali government, after the meeting of the heads of all parliamentary groups in parliament, would seek a separate meeting with the MMA to discuss the possibility of its joining the ruling coalition.

When asked, Mr Saifullah said his party would prefer reaching an understanding with the MMA “which was the real stake-holder in the system” while the other opposition parties like the PPP and PML(N) “naturally had no interest in its continuation.”

Meanwhile, MMA’s secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rahman said on Tuesday that the combined opposition would stick to the scheduled APC meeting, and would not go back an inch from its stated position.

Talking to newsmen here, he said: “The success of the talks mostly depends on the attitude of Gen Musharraf. If he shows flexibility, as promised by him, we will also reciprocate (the gesture).”

It is believed that the PM had conveyed to the opposition leaders (before he made the announcement that the government was ready to resume its negotiations with the opposition) the willingness of the president to quit the COAS office within the next 18 months, and also water down the clauses relating to 58(2) B and the NSC.

Maulana Fazlur Rahman said the opposition was expecting an invitation for talks from the PM any time soon, and it will go into talks with a positive frame of mind.

When asked whether the opposition parties would also like to meet Gen Musharraf to get his word concerning flexibility in talks, the Maulana said: “We will not refuse if such a situation arose.”

MMA’s deputy parliamentary leader in the NA, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, said: “We will push for the acceptance of proposals forwarded by the government-opposition committee, which had held 18 days’ parleys before submitting the report to Prime Minister Jamali on May 23.” PML(Q)’s Kabir Ali Wasti was hopeful that both the sides will evolve an amicable solution of the crisis “in the best interest of democracy.”