02 March 2004	Tuesday	10 Muharram 1425

LAHORE, March 1: Cracks among MMA constituents are getting deeper over expansion of the NWFP cabinet, joining the federal government, and action against elements involved in razing a mosque in the NWFP province.

The central leadership had earlier agreed to give representation to all components in the NWFP government by taking one minister each from the four remaining parties - the JUI-S, the JUP, the MJAH and the defunct Islami Tehrik.

So far only the JUI-F and the Jamaat-i-Islami have representation in the provincial cabinet. But the formula could not be agreed upon as the JUI-F, which already had eight ministers, including the chief minister in the 15-man provincial cabinet, demanded four more slots.

On the other hand, the JUI-S, led by Maulana Samiul Haq, is reportedly demanding the MMA to either join the federal government ranks as a whole or at least allow its MNAs - Maulana Hamidul Haq and Maulana Abdul Aziz Shah - to accept slots in the cabinet being offered by the Jamali administration.

Mr Shah, it is learnt, is especially interested in joining the federal cabinet to compete NWFP chief minister Akram Durrani of the rival faction, JUI-F, as they belong to the same constituency.

The MJAH has sought action against the JUI-F activists allegedly involved in razing a mosque in Butgram, NWFP, and its reconstruction. It is also critical of the alleged partiality of the NWFP government in the incident.

The MMA supreme council meeting scheduled for March 5 in Islamabad, will prove a stormy one if the JUI-S and the MJAH agreed to attend it. So far both the components are declining to participate in the session, demanding prior guarantees for acceptance of their demands.