ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: The first meeting of the steering committee formed by the opposition to prepare a plan for a movement against the government will be held on Wednesday to finalise a plan for the March 3 strike against the publication of blasphemous cartoon in some European newspapers.

The committee’s convener Iqbal Zafar Jhagra told Dawn on Tuesday that the meeting had been convened to discuss ways and means to make the strike a success.

Mr Jhagra said the committee members would ask Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leaders to brief them about their plan for the day. He said the committee would also discuss the option of holding a public meeting or rallies in different cities on March 3.

Answering a question, he said the strike call had been given by the opposition when it was not aware of the schedule of the United States president’s visit to the country. “If he Mr Bush comes on March 3, it will be a coincidence,” he added.