16 February 2005	Wednesday	06 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: A grand opposition alliance is likely to be formed in a few weeks as negotiators of the ARD and the MMA are expected to work out a minimum programme and a unified strategy against President Gen Pervez Musharraf , sources said on Monday.

Political observers said a deal between the government and the Pakistan People's Party was unlikely since the PPP's demand of allowing its chairperson Benazir Bhutto to return to the country and lead the party in the next election was not acceptable to hard-liners in the ruling coalition. The party's negotiations with Gen Musharraf's aides appeared to be falling apart, they said.

There are indications of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal having come close to each other after recent meetings between their leaders in Jeddah.

Talking to Dawn at his residence, MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed ruled out any chance for general election during the current year and postponement of local bodies polls.

He said: "We support the completion of their tenure by the assemblies and governments but we will make certain, by launching a forceful movement against Gen Musharraf, that he does not remain the president."

A need to forge consensus against Gen Musharraf retaining two offices and making democratic institutions subservient to himself is being strongly felt by both the ARD and the MMA.

Qazi Hussain quoted the Alliance for the Restoration of democracy Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim as saying during their recent meting that the major opposition parties needed closer cooperation and joint efforts to end Gen Musharraf's rule.

The MMA leader said there was a general consensus among all the opposition parties on launching a joint struggle for the restoration of democracy and supremacy of parliament, which was not possible under the rule of army generals.

He said his meeting with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was very fruitful and the PML chief had assigned the task of carrying forward talks for a joint struggle to his party's acting president Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. He said a meeting between the MMA and the ARD was likely in a few days.

The two opposition alliances are cooperating on all major national issues in the Senate and they have decided to extend their cooperation to the National Assembly session due to begin on Feb 21.

MMA Deputy Secretary General Liaqat Baloch called on the opposition leader in the Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, in the latter's parliament chamber and both of them agreed to extend their cooperation to the National Assembly.

Mr Baloch told newsmen after the meeting that they had agreed that since both the alliances had an agreement on launching a movement against Gen Musharraf on his dual posts, price-hike and the Balochistan issue, they should closely cooperate in both the houses of parliament.