QUETTA, July 6: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal will resist any move by the currrent or any assembly to re-elect Gen Musharraf as president for a second term.

Addressing the Nifaz-i-Shariat Conference in Kalat on Thursday, MMA’s Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that contrary to the general impression, according to which the MMA supported the current military-led government, it would “never permit” the assembly to re-elect President Musharraf.

He said that the government had itself acceded that it had failed to solve the country’s main problems, adding that its popularity had suffered a considerable setback. It should, therefore, quit power to save the country from further harm.

He refuted reports about differences in the MMA and said that the only way out of the current impasse was transparent and fair elections through an independent election commission.

Referring to the new budget, he said that the government had presented seven successive budgets and had spelled nothing but disaster in its economic policies, causing more poverty, inflation and unemployment.

He blamed the limited provincial autonomy for the Balochistan crisis.

The Maulana said that the MMA would participate in the anti-government movement along with other opposition allies, adding that the alliance would leave no stone unturned to struggle for the implementation of Islamic laws.

Criticising the government for the Steel mill privatisation fiasco, Maulana Fazl vowed to nationalise all privatised assets, if voted to power, and end the army’s role in national politics.

Terming the Islamic Ideology Council a fake institution, he vowed to nominate “true Islamic-minded ulema” as its members.— Online