ISLAMABAD, Dec 4: The component parties of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) have started consultations among themselves after the announcement of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s (MMA) protest plan and heads of the member parties have been directed to reach Islamabad in a day or two for taking a final decision on the allinace’s response to the situation, sources told Dawn here on Thursday.

The sources said the announcement by the MMA to launch its protest by the middle of this month came as surprise for the ARD as earlier reports had indicated that an understanding had already been reached between the government and the religious alliance over the issues of the Legal Framework Order (LFO) and the President’s uniform.

Talking to Dawn, a PPP parliamentarian conceded that the MMA had taken the lead by announcing the protest plan leaving the ARD in a state of shock and confusion. He said the MMA had not taken the ARD into confidence before taking the decision and now the future of the combined opposition was at stake.

The PPP leader said this would definitely hurt the image of the combined opposition. He said by announcing the plan, the MMA had given the impression that there was not part of the combined opposition. Criticizing the MMA, he said it was decided that both the alliances would jointly launch protest campaign against the government and the plan was to be finalized by the combined opposition leaders in a meeting after Eid.

He said the ARD was planning to contact the MMA leadership on Dec 5 to finalize the date for the proposed meeting and for holding an all parties conference.

He said ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who was in Lahore on Thursday, would definitely lodge protest with the MMA over this move.

Meanwhile, sources said the People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPP) and the PML-N leaders had consulted each other on Thursday and a meeting between Amin Fahim and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would be held on Friday.

They said PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had also been consulted by the ARD local leadership on the emerging political situation.

It has been learnt that both the exiled leaders have given a green signal for launching the agitation plan on its own without waiting for any group or party.