ISLAMABAD, Aug 15: Awami National Party (ANP) information secretary Zahid Khan on Wednesday termed the present deadlock in the talks between the government and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) a drama and an effort to divert attention of the nation from real issues.

Terming the MMA a B-team of the government, he said the MMA actually stood for the “Mullah-Military Alliance.” He said the party had proofs that elections were rigged and the MMA was given a mandate in the NWFP.

“Despite this, we want the MMA government to complete its tenure of five years in the province so that they could fulfil promises they made with the people during elections,” he added.

Mr Zahid said history showed that “Maulvis had always been on the payroll of rulers.” He said whether it was the Mughal era, the British rule before partition or military rule after the partition, the Maulvis had always served the ruling junta and had even issued fatwas in their favour.

“Everybody knows that these MMA leaders received money from the US during the Afghan Jihad,” he said.

He alleged that the MMA was deceiving the people as it had adopted dual policies on various issues. He said on the one hand they held million marches against the US but now they were trying to convince Washington that they were moderate people and against Talibanization.

He said when the ANP leaders talked about the Pakistan-India friendship, these religious leaders dubbed them Kafir and anti-Pakistan people and now they (the MMA leaders) were even hosting lunch for the visiting Indian parliamentarians because now the US wanted good relations between the two countries.

He said there were differences within the MMA on the Kashmir policy, which was evident from the fact that no Jamaat-i-Islami leader attended the lunch hosted by the NWFP Chief Minister for the visiting Indian guests.

Mr Zahid said it was the success of Bacha Khan’s policies that those who created law and order situation when Mr Vajpayee visited Lahore, had now started talking about peace.

He regretted that parliament had done nothing for the solution to people’s problems as no legislation work had been carried out despite the passage of one year.