ISLAMABAD Oct 8: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has decided to launch during Ramazan a mass mobilization campaign against Gen Pervez Musharraf's attempt to retain his army post beyond Dec 31.

The MMA supreme council, which met here under the presidentship of Qazi Hussain Ahmed, also hinted at rejecting the entire 17th Amendment if President Musharraf violated its provision which becomes operative on Dec 31.

The alliance declared that an attempt to get an act approved by parliament to give protection to both offices of Gen Musharraf would be unconstitutional and it would be resisted.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Qazi Hussain said, three public rallies would be held in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad or Rawalpindi at which the alliance's policy on the uniform issue would be unveiled.

He alleged that by trying to retain the COAS post, President Musharraf wished to rule the nation on gun-point. He condemned the ban imposed on religious rallies in the wake of recent acts of terrorism and said that it reflected government's involvement in the attacks.

He admitted that the ARD had not invited the MMA to attend its all-parties conference but said that the religious parties alliance would continue its efforts to work in cooperation with other political forces opposed to the government. He denied that the alliance was opposing fresh elections.

MMA's secretary general and the leader of opposition in National Assembly's Maulana Fazlur Rahman, said the supreme council had condemned Sialkot and Multan carnages and termed it a continuation of the incidents of similar nature in Karachi.

He said the government had lost its right to rule after failing to provide security to the people and maintain law and order in the country. He condemned the ban on religious gatherings and described it as a move to curb the right of expression.

The Maulana said Gen Musharraf should keep his promise which he had made to the nation and shed his uniform to allow the democratic system to flourish. Otherwise, he said, the country would be pushed into another constitutional crisis.

He said that the 63(1) d had not been restored as many other provisions of the constitution were still in abeyance and if it was violated as part of the 17th Amendment it would be presumed that the whole amendment had become controversial and the protection given to the actions taken after Oct 12,1999, would also stand annulled.

The MMA leader claimed that Gen Musharraf would not have been elected president if the 63(1) D had been operative when he was given the vote of confidence by the electoral college.