January 3, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 2, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 2: Deputy Secretary General of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Hafiz Hussain Ahmed on Monday called for immediate establishment of Council of Common Interests (CCI), saying it was Constitutional requirement to resolve national issues.

“President Pervez Musharraf should have taken this decision three years ago,” he said at a reception hosted in his honour by Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) here at its office.

He said present discontentment among people on many issues, including construction of water reservoirs, could have been avoided if CCI was formed before.

Hafiz Hussain expressed concern over government’s unilateral decisions and reasons to justify operation in Balochistan, saying MMA was not taken into confidence although religious parties’ alliance holds majority support in the province.

MMA leader said breakthrough in deadlock over Balochistan could be achieved only through Parliament, adding that settlement between a ‘Sardar’ and government would not be acceptable.

He said that the MMA would also submit requisition to National Assembly session to discuss Balochistan issue in detail.

Later, talking to newsmen, he expressed optimism about CCI achieving its goals and said, “chief ministers from smaller provinces would raise issues of provincial autonomy and Constitutional rights.”—PPI