August 08, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 23, 1428

LAHORE, Aug 7: Despite repeated assurances by President Pervez Musharraf that the next elections would be held on time, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman says the situation is not ‘very clear’ and he is not sure when or whether the polls will be held.

Talking to Dawn here on Tuesday, Maulana Fazl said that at present the president was facing the most difficult situation and was not finding a way out. He said President Musharraf’s relations with the superior judiciary were strained and he did not know whether any move to prematurely dissolve the assemblies, impose emergency or get himself re-elected in uniform would be endorsed by the Supreme Court.

And unable to get out of the cul-de-sac, the opposition leader said, a desperate Musharraf could also think of handing over power to another general.

However, he made it clear that as opposition leader he would try to take all opposition parties along and come up to the expectations of the nation. “Gen Musharraf should hand over power to the people and go back to his professional duties.”

When pointed out that some political leaders insisted that Gen Musharraf already stood retired and was left with no more roles to play even in the army, the opposition leader said a decision on the subject would be taken by the establishment whose representative he was.

Maulana Fazl, who is also secretary-general of the MMA, said the president was facing a number of constitutional obstacles -- all of them quite weighty for him to remove. Thus, the future decisions would be taken by the establishment, he added.

As for the role of the All Parties Democratic Movement of which the MMA is a constituent, he said the new coalition would honour its commitment to the nation made a month ago at the time of its launching in London.

In reply to a question, the MMA leader claimed that the APDM declaration was silent on the issue of boycotting the elections or Gen Musharraf’s eligibility to go for a second term in case he took his uniform off.

He said that now it was for President Musharraf to decide whether he was acceptable even to himself without uniform. “And unless he himself is clear on the subject, the APDM will not give its point of view.”

The opposition leader said that once the president took some decision, the APDM would devise an appropriate strategy.

About Gen Musharraf’s meeting with Ms Benazir Bhutto, Maulana Fazl said the PPP chairperson had lost her political importance after contacts with the general. Now, he said, she could be of no help to the general even if the two sides reached some understanding. “Benazir Bhutto has used her last ‘trump card’ at the meeting with Gen Musharraf. She is not left with any more cards to use in future.”

He said it was strange that Gen Musharraf flew all the way to Abu Dhabi for a meeting with a leader he had been branding as corrupt and saying she would mot be allowed to return to the country.

“The meeting has affected the position of Gen Musharraf as well. It appears as if he was fooling the nation when he talked against the PPP chairperson. Both Gen Musharraf and Ms Bhutto have lost their credibility,” he added.