26 October 2004	Tuesday	11 Ramazan 1425

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MANSEHRA, Oct 25: Leader of the Opposition in the NWFP Assembly Shahzada Mohammad Gustasap Khan has said the MMA leadership was blackmailing both the federal government and the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) to remain in power 'by hook or crook'.

Speaking at a press conference here on Monday, he said the federal government would have to draw a line between the MMA and the ARD while dealing with the opposition and would have to understand the tactics and the real motives of the MMA.

He said the MMA was busy pursuing its agenda of raising storm in a teacup by pressuring the federal government on trivial matters, on the one hand, and trying to woo the ARD, on the other.

Mr Khan said the leadership of one MMA component kept hurling threats on the federal government while another major party remained busy in moderation and improving ties with the Centre.

Through such tactics, the MMA had assumed power in two provinces and its claim of commanding public mandate was false and baseless, he said.

The votes obtained by the MMA in the last general elections were only one-fourth of the total polled by the combined opposition parties and independent candidates in the NWFP.

He said the MMA had promised to enforce Shariah, dispense social and economic justice and provide relief to the common man but it "has failed to deliver on these promises".

He said the dominant parties in the alliance were so intolerant that they had pushed the smaller components to the wall.

Mr Khan said the law and order situation was deteriorating in the province as non-elected people of the ruling alliance had held personnel of the law-enforcing agencies hostage.

Some months ago, police in Hazara had been forced to set free an accused involved in a heinous crime by a man claiming himself to be an MMA leader. "On his re-arrest, the accused has been awarded life imprisonment by the court," he pointed out.

He said it was high time the federal government determined as to who were the harbourers of terrorists and militants.

He said the government's agenda of fighting terrorism with the international community could not be accomplished unless the elements supporting terrorists inside the country were taken to task.