MMA to continue dialogue on LFO: Fresh signals from govt
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Sept 2: In response to fresh signals from the government that it would resume dialogue on preparation of a constitutional package, the MMA on Tuesday decided to continue talks to break the deadlock on the LFO.
The MMA, reacting to the government’s failure to draft the promised package within a certain period of time, had indicated on Monday that it would scrap the dialogue process.
However, the religious parties alliance claimed that the government, in a fresh contact with it, had held out the assurance that the draft constitutional package would be finalized within a week and presented before the party heads’ meeting for an agreement.
Briefing newsmen about the decisions taken by the MMA’s supreme council, parliamentary leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed, however, warned that the alliance would keep its options open and continue public mobilization along side holding talks with the government.
The JI chief said the MMA was not willing to give the dictatorial system a single day under Gen Musharraf. However, he added, in the given situation the MMA had no option but to keep on making efforts for restoration of democratic institutions.
In reply to a question, he pointed out that talks were not confined to seven contentious points of the LFO but they were aimed at changing the whole document according to the will of parliament.
Answering a question about the arrest of army officers, Qazi said the MMA would raise such issues of national importance on the floor of the house when the LFO issue would have been resolved. He said the Jihadi character of the Pakistan Army was being destroyed at the behest of the US and added that the armed forces should shun this policy.
DECISIONS: MNAs Liaquat Baloch and Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the MMA had discussed all options to deal with the political impasse at its supreme council’s meeting held on Monday night.
Mr Baloch said the MMA would launch a mass-contact movement starting with a public meeting scheduled to be held at Quetta on Thursday. Such rallies, he added, would also be held in other major cities during September and October.
Referring to talks on the LFO, they said the MMA believed that the negotiators’ team of the president were the main hurdle in reaching a decision by the government. They, however, pledged that all efforts would be made to make the 10-month-long process result-oriented.
They said the government had promised to convene the party heads’ meeting within the next week and reiterated that MMA’s stand on constitutional matters was final and it was not ready to show any more flexibility.
Mr Baloch said it was the government’s duty to prepare the constitutional package for amendments and place it before parliament. There was no ambiguity on this account, he maintained.
