LAHORE, Feb 6: ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, disputing Gen Musharraf's authority to pardon nuclear scientist Dr A.Q. Khan after holding him guilty of nuclear proliferation, demanded on Friday that the matter should be taken to parliament for a final decision.

In case the government was not in a mood to take people's representatives into confidence, parliament should be dissolved as there was no justification for such a powerless and helpless house to stay, he said while talking to Dawn.

The ARD chief said no individual, least of all the one who was not the constitutionally elected president, was competent to first hold somebody responsible for a serious offence and then let him off the hook the same day.

He said the nation must be apprised of the inquiry report and the justification for waiving the punishment.

Amin Fahim was of the view that it was unfair on the part of the relevant authorities to exonerate the military people and hold the civilians guilty.

He said the dubious proceedings of the entire episode had no credibility and the matter should be referred to the bicameral legislature.

In response to a question, he said the status of the nuclear programme during various periods and the contribution made by various presidents and prime ministers to advance it should be debated by parliament. Also, he said, the legislators, including those belonging to the treasury, should have the permission to ask questions.

Gen Musharraf had alleged on Thursday that by reducing the level of uranium enrichment to five per cent then prime minister Benazir Bhutto and army chief Gen Aslam Beg had in fact rolled back the country's nuclear programme.

The ARD chairman said parliament was the best judge. It should see which government had done what in the nuclear field and what should be done in the future.

Replying to a question, Amin Fahim said that the MMA was an ally of the government, having no linkage with the opposition. He said MMA's Friday strike call had failed to get any response because the electorate fully knew that the religious parties were part of the ruling coalition.

He said the MMA had decided on its own to support the government and the ARD respected its decision. He indicated that there was no possibility of the two alliances joining hands in the future.