ISLAMABAD Feb 16: Leader of opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rahman has demanded of the US and the Nato to immediately announce withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan otherwise a growing resistance in the war-torn country would turn peace into a pipe dream.

Mr Rahman was reacting to reports of the deployment of more troops in Afghanistan while speaking at a press conference at his Parliament Lodges suite here on Friday.

He said in case the US and the Nato did not withdraw their troops, Pakistan should dissociate itself from the “so-called global war on terror, which is in fact an aggression against Afghanistan”.

He said there was no military solution to the Afghanistan problems and advised the external forces to leave the country and let the locals decide their future through talks.

Mr Rahman said General Pervez Musharraf was an unconditional head of state and all opposition parties were united on the issue that he must leave power at once.

He admitted that ideological differences with certain parties on internal and external issues were blocking the formation of a grand alliance against the military government.

He said General Musharraf’s policy of cooperation in the war on terror was based on self-created fear. It was due to this ‘one-sided’ cooperation that the US carried out attacks inside Pakistan without prior permission.

He said allowing General Musharraf’s further stay in power would surround Pakistan with more dangers.

In reply to a question, the MMA secretary-general said the situation in Iran was volatile, but Pakistan was in no position to do anything.

Regrettably, Pakistan’s foreign policy had failed to encompass any of its neighbours into friendly ties, he said, adding that while India was already an enemy, the Pakistan government had also lost trust of the Karzai regime.

When a reporter asked the fate of JUI-F renegade Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, he taunted: "Are you on some special duty to ask this question."