ISLAMABAD March 26: MMA’s deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Hafiz Hussain Ahmed has said that the PPP, a major component of ARD, is a hurdle in the way of launching an all-out campaign against Gen Musharraf and his allies. Talking to media here on Sunday, Hafiz Hussain referred to the latest statement of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto that she had never set the condition of removal of General Musharraf for talks with government, but her party’s leadership was being pressurised to remove her as chairperson before any talks on power-sharing.

Hafiz Hussain said the statement spoke volumes of PPP chairpersons’ eagerness to join hands with General Musharraf. He said this approach of Ms Bhutto was a big hurdle for the combined opposition which had formed a nine-member steering committee to chalk out a unified strategy for launching a movement.

Replying to a question about reports that he was being replaced by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri as member of the MMA supreme council, Hafiz Hussain said such manoeuvring within the party was not a new thing and he would continue to attend the supreme council meetings.

According to sources, JUI shoora has asked MNAs Maulana Haideri and Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani to attend MMA supreme council in place of Maulana Fazlur Rahman and Hafiz Hussain Ahmed.

But, the sources said, MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed expressed his displeasure over the presence of Maulana Sherani in the supreme council on the grounds he had accepted the chairmanship of a house committee.

Information about replacement of Hafiz Hussain Ahmed by another MNA had been leaked to the press by his opponents within the party who were against his stand that party leaders should attend meetings of the National Security Council, the sources said.

He said: “I will attend the supreme council meeting in Lahore on March 29 and will see how things take their course.”