December 17, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) leaders have criticized the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal (MMA) for its stand on the issue of vote of confidence for Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Talking to Dawn here on Tuesday, various ARD leaders severely criticized the religious alliance for agreeing to facilitate the government in amending the Constitution to introduce a clause through which the president would be required to seek a vote of confidence from parliament and provincial assemblies.

The ARD leaders, who do not want to openly condemn the MMA before presentation of the proposed constitutional package to the parliament, said any such move by the MMA would be unconstitutional.

They said if the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal supported the government in changing the president’s election procedure then the religious alliance would be equally responsible along with Gen Musharraf for “mutilating” of the 1973 Constitution.

They ridiculed the statement of Qazi Hussain Ahmed that the MMA would only support the government in amending the Constitution, and its members would be absent from assemblies at the time of voting. “This is yet another way to support an unconstitutional military rule and another face-saving device,” said a senior ARD parliamentarian. He asked the MMA not to yield to the undemocratic demands of Gen Musharraf.

The ARD leader said the MMA people should know that amending the Constitution was not a “child’s play” and that basic character of the Constitution could not be changed even with a two-third majority.

When asked as to why the ARD did not openly condemn the MMA for its stand on such matters, he said the ARD still hoped that the religious alliance would keep national interest above its own interest which is limited to saving the NWFP and Balochistan governments.

Moreover, he said, the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy would like to see the outcome of the ongoing “negotiations” between the government and the religious alliance as it did not want to take the blame for breaking the joint opposition.

He said if the MMA leadership made any compromise on the supremacy of the Constitution and parliament, then the impression that the MMA had been a B-team of the military government would be strengthened.