01 January 2005	Saturday	19 Ziqa'ad 1425

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: Leader of the Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Friday declared that the ARD and MMA would jointly observe a peaceful 'black day' on Saturday to express resentment against General Musharraf for breaking the promise he had made to the nation and tearing up the agreement the ruling party had concluded with the MMA on the issue of uniform.

By going back on his promise, he said, General Musharraf himself had provided the ground for forging a grand opposition alliance against him which could become a reality in the month of January.

Speaking at a press conference here, the Maulana said that efforts would be made to bring all the smaller opposition parties on board after the ARD and MMA hammered out a joint line of action.

He rejected President Musharraf's assertion that the MMA also had broken the promises it had made. In fact, he said, by blocking the operation of Article 63(1)d, beyond December 31, 2004, which defines qualifications for a president, General Musharraf had lost the right to remain president.

Replying to a question about the status of the 17th Amendment after what the MMA perceives its violation by General Musharraf, the Maulana insisted that he (Gen Musharraf) had ceased to remain president by blocking the operation of the article he had cited.

Referring to the president's assertion that he could have got his tenure extended from the Supreme Court after 9/11, he asked as to what extraordinary things had happened in the last one year which forced him to retain his army chief's office for another two years.

He said the reasons offered by General Musharraf for his not keeping the promise made to the nation and the MMA had not raised his stature in the eyes of people. About the planned black day, he said all the local organizations had been instructed to stage peaceful protests by hoisting black flags and wearing black armbands. There would be no wheel-jams or roadblocks, he added.

About his meeting with the prime minister in which both had decided to continue their contacts, the MMA leader said: "So far we have not taken any decision to completely cut off contacts with the government." He, however, added that "we will only negotiate on issues which were not discussed before and needed settlement".

He regretted that while the ruling party was talking of national reconciliation, it was spoiling the atmosphere of understanding by violating the constitution. He accused Gen Musharraf of "trying in vain" to break the religious parties' alliance by showing its MPs the path of desertion and inviting them to join the ruling party by getting the defection clause suspended.

The MMA, he claimed, had never promised to cast vote in the presidential vote of confidence nor had it assured the government that it would help in the passage of a parliamentary act, giving the president an extension in the number of years he could retain his army post.

Maulana Fazl, who is also the chief of the JUI, said that the alliance could have supported the NSC bill had the government negotiated and accommodated its amendments.