December 01, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa’ad 20, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 30: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) President Qazi Husain Ahmad on Friday refuted PPP leader Benazir Bhutto’s claim that he was reluctant to meet her over a joint stand on core issues.

In a press statement issued here, the MMA chief said he was ever ready to meet the PPP chairperson on one point agenda — the restoration of judiciary to the pre-Nov 3 position. “This remains the cornerstone of the MMA policy, which BB is ignoring,” he said.

Qazi said after her return to the country, he (Qazi) had himself contacted Makhdoom Amin Faheem and later spoke to Benazir Bhutto on telephone and requested for a meeting at any neutral and undisputed platform.

“Both promised to get back, but their response is still awaited,” Qazi said and added: “I kept myself away from the APDM delegation, which is to meet BB, because the PPP chief is openly talking about taking part in elections. This means she is ignoring the issue of judiciary. If the PPP chairperson agrees to the restoration of judiciary, we all can sit together and chalk out a joint strategy,” he said.—Staff Reporte