03 September 2004	Friday	17 Rajab 1425

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PESHAWAR, Sept 2: Deputy Speaker of the NWFP Assembly Ikramullah Shahid has taken a strong notice of a statement by Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani wherein the chief minister had threatened to use force against dissident MPAs of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

Talking to a group of newsmen in his chamber in the assembly building on Thursday, the deputy speaker said every political worker had a right to hold his personal opinion on certain issues which may or may not be in line with party's official opinion.

He said difference of opinion was the beauty of democracy and added that suppressing the voice of dissidents or threatening to gag them was an anti-democratic stance.

The deputy speaker said politicians believed in difference of opinion and dialogue and were opposed to 'use of force' against opponents. He said the chief minister should not have hurled such threats on his colleagues. "I will never care such hollow threats," he added.

Mr Shahid said: "Who will take action against the MPAs who are accused of violating the MMA manifesto or deviating from its official line. It is the prerogative of the alliance's supreme council to take action, but no individual or a non-elected person has a right to issue petty statements against me."

He said he was an elected deputy speaker and got over 75 votes during his election for the slot. The MMA lawmakers had reposed confidence in his leadership so he should not be taken for granted, Mr Shahid added.

About the ongoing media campaign allegedly launched against him by Mufti Kifayatullah known as MMA spokesman, Mr Shahid said Mufti Kifayat was not a MMA spokesman. "I will not waste my time in recriminations. I will not respond to his statement. Our workers are wise enough to respond to him," Mr Shahid added.

He said he challenged Mufti Kifayat to take whatever action he could chose against him. It may be recalled that Ikramullah Shahid held a meeting with his party chief Maulana Samiul Haq and a federal government official in Akora Khattak on Wednesday.

He briefed Maulana Sami about political developments in Peshawar where a 'MMA Pressure Group' known as 'Accountability Group' was reportedly mustering support of all the estranged MPAs.

The 12-member group is reportedly trying to bring an in-house change to replace the leader of the house and has also nominated a minister for the job. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam spokesman Maulana Jalil Jan, meanwhile, said that a campaign had been launched against the MMA which was aimed at blackmailing the government and the alliance.

"The MMA supreme council is a competent body which can take any action against its minister and MPAs," he added. The spokesman denied any division in the ranks of the government or the MMA.