ISLAMABAD, June 24: The combined opposition in the National Assembly on Thursday condemned the treasury for approving the budget without waiting for the opposition to return to the house.

The parliamentary leaders of the ARD, MMA and smaller parties were speaking at a joint news conference in the parliament house cafeteria after an en bloc walkout from the house against what they called partial attitude of Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain. They said the democracy was under threat as the country was being pushed towards the presidential system.

The opposition leaders announced that a united struggle would be waged against the army's involvement in politics, a no-trust motion would be tabled against the speaker, a national conference would be convened aimed at restoration of democracy and the constitution, and attempts for removing Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali would be thwarted.

They alleged that the President's House and the fourth flour of the parliament house had become a hub of intrigues and the pro-Musharraf group had become active to disrupt the smooth running of parliament.

The leader of opposition, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP and ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, PMAP leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai and many other leaders spoke.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman held the treasury benches responsible for the rumpus in the house and criticized them for abusing the opposition leadership. He said these tactics were manifestation of the fact that the military leadership had become desperate. He said the 'pro-Musharraf group' was responsible for the situation.

"We are democrats and torch-bearers of democracy and we want to make it clear that our sole objective is to get the 1973 constitution and democracy fully restored," he said.

Defending his decision of not attending the National Security Council's inaugural meeting, the MMA leader said an NSC being chaired by the army chief reflected its supremacy over the parliament which, he added, was not acceptable.

He alleged that the establishment was busy hatching conspiracies against democratic institutions and was bent upon depriving the nation of democracy. ARD and PPP-Parliamentarians chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim said if the army was willing to go back to barracks to fulfil its constitutional obligation, the opposition was ready to ensure it a safe and honourable passage.

He said it was high time that the right of running the country was returned to its elected representatives. He regretted that while the opposition had extended support to the government in running the budget session smoothly the treasury had responded negatively.

Referring to the language that the treasury benches had allegedly against the opposition, he said it would be remembered as a black chapter in the parliamentary history of the country.

MMA's acting president Qazi Hussain Ahmed said that despite the politicians' reservations on the LFO the political parties had participated in general elections to help the country return to democracy from the military dictatorship.

He said that under the agreement signed with the government on the LFO, Gen Musharraf was bound to shed his uniform by Dec 1, 2004 but as this date was approaching the president seemed to be violating the accord.

He said the three services chiefs were under an oath not to take part in politics but, he pointed out, they had breached their oath when they sat on the NSC. Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said time had come for the democratic forces to mobilize masses against the military rulers.