September 4, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) has very little hope that the ongoing talks between the government and the Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) would be successful in resolving the prevailing crisis in the country.

Sources said the ARD leadership believed that there was a little chance that the talks would succeed in the resolution of the issues involved as the ruling coalition was reluctant to present the constitutional package in the National Assembly without the consent of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The sources said the MMA had not taken the ARD leadership into confidence regarding preparation of the proposed constitutional package. However, they said, the MMA had assured the ARD that it would consult the ARD before approving the package.

The parliamentary leader of the ARD, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, while talking to Dawn on Wednesday, confirmed that Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed had assured him that the MMA would not accept any package, which would be considered by other opposition parties as harmful for the future of the country and constitution.

He said although the MMA had made a commitment that they would take other Opposition parties into confidence, the ARD would not press them for it as they were not answerable to the ARD. They were answerable to their voters only, he added.

One of the PPP leaders said the talks between the government and the MMA could succeed if Gen Pervez Musharraf realized that it was only this parliament, through which he could get all his actions indemnified.