LAHORE, Oct 29: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Deputy-Secretary General Liaquat Baloch has said the MMA members will resign from the assemblies if the government gets the women rights bill approved by the National Assembly select committee.

Talking to newsmen at an Eid Milan ceremony hosted by the Lahore JI at the Minar-i-Pakistan ground here on Sunday, he said the bill was not about the women rights but it was meant for spreading adultery and establishment of American-style casinos in the country.

The MMA, he said, would quit the assemblies in the event of adoption of the bill and would continue its struggle till the end of Gen Musharraf’s rule.

He said an important meeting of the opposition parties would be held at the residence of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in Islamabad on Nov 10 to devise strategy to resist adoption of the bill. The meeting would be attended by the leaders of MMA, Muslim League (Nawaz), Ponm, Tehrik-i-Insaf and other political parties.

He said Mian Nawaz Sharif and Ms Benazir Bhutto should return to the country and lead their respective parties. All political parties should follow the agenda of demanding return of armed forces to barracks and end to Gen Musharraf’s dictatorship, he added.

He said free and fair elections were not possible under Gen Musharraf, as he would do anything to ensure the victory of his cronies. However, he said, the MMA Supreme Council would take final decision about contesting or boycotting polls if held under Gen Musharraf.

CONDOLENCE: Expressing deep sense of grief on the death of Lt-Gen K M Azhar (retired), Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal president Qazi Husain Ahmad said he was not only a patriotic politician but also a kind hearted person.