July 30, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1424

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LAHORE, July 29: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) chief, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, said here on Tuesday that holding of a public meeting with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Aug 14 in Rawalpindi seemed difficult.

His announcement was perceived by political analysts here as the end of joint opposition.

Speaking at a press conference, a visibly grieved Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan said the MMA was still ready to attend the proposed public meeting but inviting them to it seemed difficult after the religious parties alliance changed its stance on the LFO and president’s uniform.

During its talks with a government team on Sunday, the MMA had agreed to accept Gen Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff up to October 2004, and later voting him to the presidency for a five-year term, a stance totally different to the one it had adopted at its July 26 all-party conference at Mansoora.

“We are not ready to accept Gen Musharraf as president even for a single moment,” the ARD chief said.

The ARD would also nominate its opposition leaders in a couple of days as its three parliamentary parties — the PPP, the PML-N and the Jamhoori Watan Party — had signed an application to the effect, he added.

According to the new list issued by the National Assembly speaker, the three parties had a joint strength of 78 members in the house, he claimed.

“We have tried our best to maintain unity among the ranks of all opposition parties. But alliances are made on the basis of common approach (on certain issues) and principles,” the Nawabzada told a questioner.

He wondered as to how would the leaders who had rejected the LFO and declared Gen Musharraf as an American agent during million marches against the war on Iraq, now justify their support to the military dictator.

What had Gen Musharraf done for which the MMA was ready to honour him, he questioned, adding that he was very much grieved over the change in the religious alliance’s policy. “Seeing the people raise the slogans of ‘come Musharraf come’ instead of ‘go Musharraf go’ will be fairly painful.”

He did not agree with the assertion that separation of the MMA would weaken the opposition. As long as problems and failures of the government were there, the opposition would not be weakened, he said.

In reply to a question, he said the ARD was firm on its plan to hold the proposed Aug 14 public meeting as an application for the purpose had been filed with the Rawalpindi district government.