ISLAMABAD, June 20: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA), Pakistan Tehrik Insaaf and PONM on Tuesday agreed to launch a joint movement to get rid of military rule and ensure free, fair and transparent general elections.

Talking to newsmen at the end of a 4-hour meeting at the residence of PML (Nawaz) acting president Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rahman said the opposition had agreed to unite on one point of Charter of Democracy (CoD) that related to putting end to military’s role in politics. He said the MMA had decided to further discuss its reservations on other points of the CoD but resolved to go along other opposition parties in the joint struggle against perpetuation of military rule.

Opposition leaders who had so far differed with MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed on launching anti-government movement in September said in a lighter vein while pointing to Mr Hussain, “we all have agreed with him and his deadline.”

They also decided to forcefully resist any move to get Gen Musharraf re-elected by the present parliament.

The meeting which started soon after maghrib prayer at the Rawalpindi residence of Ch Nisar was attended by chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim and president Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of the ARD and president Qazi Hussain Ahmed and secretary general Maulana Fazlur Rahman of the MMA.

“Keeping in view the current political situation in the country we do not see any chance of free, fair and transparent elections in 2007 and find no alternative to launching a decisive movement to get rid of military-led rule once for all,” said the opposition leader.

“Our struggle will be united on a minimum agenda and we will make sure that Gen Musharraf is unable to seek re-election by the present assemblies and for this purpose we will mobilise public opinion” he added.

The MMA supreme council will meet on June 26 and ARD leadership will hold its meeting on July 2 to finalise their respective programmes.

Among others who attended the meeting included ARD secretary general Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, PPP-Parliamentarians’ Raja Parvaiz Ashraf, PTI’s Akbar S Babar, Mehmud Khan Achakzai of PONM, Asfandyar Wali Khan of the ANP, MNA’s Rauf Mengal, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and Liaqat Baloch. The meeting was in progress till filing of this report.