04 January 2004	Sunday	11 Ziqa'ad 1424

RAWALPINDI, Jan 3: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has suspended its MPA Fayazul Hassan Chohan from the membership of the alliance and asked him to explain why he voted for President Pervez Musharraf in the recently held vote of confidence.

A show-cause notice has been issued to Mr Chohan, who has been asked to explain his position otherwise an ex parte action will be taken against him, which could lead to his expulsion from Jamaat-i-Islami and the MMA as a whole.

A spokesman for the MMA confirmed that the MPA had been suspended and served with a show-cause notice. He said it was the unanimous decision of the MMA not to vote for the president but the MPA violated the decision.

He said that for quite some time the MPA had been deviating from the alliance rules and was indulging in activities violative of the MMA requirements.

Meanwhile, Mr Chohan in a press conference on Saturday condemned the show-cause notice and said he would give no explanation. "I condemn the notice served on me and won't beg for membership of the MMA," he said.