LAHORE, Sept 30: The MMA can discuss the reservations expressed by the ARD about the religious alliance’s presence in the PML-led Balochistan coalition if the matter is raised at a meeting of the opposition parties.

MMA president Qazi Husain Ahmad told Dawn on Friday that a decision on quitting the government could be taken jointly by the MMA components and not by him alone as the alliance chief.

ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim had said in an interview that there was a need for talks between the two alliances on the MMA’s presence in the provincial government.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq also thinks that the MMA should part company with the Balochistan government.

There are indications that the matter would come under discussion at a meeting of the top opposition leaders to be held in Islamabad on Oct 10. At the meeting, a calibrated and well thought-out programme for a movement would also be proposed.

Qazi said the MMA was serious in launching a movement, no matter what the price.

When it was pointed out that there was a contradiction in the MMA’s stand when it was playing a role in the Balochistan government and at the time it was underlining the need for a movement against the rulers, Qazi Husain said the matter could be discussed at some formal meeting of the religious parties.

“What makes you so sure that Gen Pervez Musharraf will not be the president or the army chief at the time of the next elections,” the MMA leader was asked.

In response, he said constitutionally speaking Gen Musharraf was neither the president nor the army chief. He said the general had given an undertaking to the world that he would take off his uniform by Dec 31 last year, but he backed out. He breached his commitment, he complained.

He said the general had no right to say that he would retain both the offices till the next elections.

The MMA chief said the opposition was determined to launch an effective movement against Gen Musharraf. Success, he said, could not be expected without determination and fairness of the objective.

He did not agree with the suggestion that a movement against Gen Musharraf stood no chance to succeed as the army was fully supporting him.

“The army belongs to the nation, not an individual. We are reminding the institution of its constitutional obligations. We are reminding them of the oath that they will protect the Constitution at all costs,” argued Qazi Husain.

Asked when he thought the general elections would be held, the MMA chief said: “When our movement succeeded.”

He said although he could not set a date, the movement would force the rulers to hold the elections in 2006.

He claimed that all opposition parties were united and the rulers stood isolated.

He said the MMA wanted a peaceful change in a constitutional way. He said although the Constitution could not be restored to the position as it stood on Oct 12, 1999, it could discuss the amendments needed to keep the parliament intact.