09 July 2004	Friday	20 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

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ISLAMABAD, July 8: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) has announced that the December 31 deadline set for Gen Musharraf to quit the army chief office, will not be extended in any case.

Speaking at Meet-the-Press Programme here on Thursday, the MMA deputy secretary general, Liaquat Baloch, said Gen Musharraf had "no way to escape." Replying to a question, Mr Baloch said the MMA would announce its future strategy when the time would come.

He was of the view that if Gen Musharraf would not fulfil his commitment then the offices of the president and the army chief would become illegal and controversial. He was of the view that with the presence of British High Commission and US Embassy in Islamabad, there was a constant threat to security of the country and its nuclear programme.

He said the MMA would hold internal elections at provincial and district level. He said the alliance was making preparations for the forthcoming local government elections.

He asked the government to take parliament into confidence over the military operations in tribal areas. He said the MMA was not opposed to the registration of foreigners in Wana. He also criticized the government for imposing economic sanctions on people of FATA.

The MMA MNA asked Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz to resign from his office before contesting the by-elections. He said it was the desire of the MMA to have an understanding with the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on a joint candidate against Mr Aziz in the by-elections in Attock and Tharparkar. Mr Baloch said the MMA would apprise the Election Commission about the "misuse" of official authority during the election campaign for Shaukat Aziz.