ISLAMABAD Dec 1: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) has deferred a decision on election boycott to Dec 15 in the face of Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s determination to contest the elections.

Top MMA leaders told Dawn on Saturday that the decision on withdrawal of nomination papers had also been withheld ‘for the time being’.

The MMA leaders called for early convening of multi-party conference. They hoped that the APDM’s delegation, led by Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Nawaz Sharif, will finalise the details of the conference during its meeting with Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto and Awami National Party’s (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan in Islamabad on Monday.

The Jamaat-i-Islami has asked its candidates to put on hold the withdrawal of nomination papers till Dec 15, the sources said.

There was no press briefing after the meeting, but MMA’s secretary-general Maulana Fazl told the journalists waiting outside the residence of Qazi Hussain Ahmed that he was not convinced by the arguments put forth at the meeting.

In a brief press statement, MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed said: “Our demands of withdrawal of the Provisional Constitution Order, restoration of the Constitution, lifting of emergency and restoration of sacked judges of the superior courts are irrevocable. Unless all our conditions are met, the opposition will not take part in polls.”

Both Qazi Hussain and Maulana Fazl said all MMA leaders were undivided on keeping the alliance intact.

Maulana Fazl reiterated: “The option of boycott is still open but it will only prove beneficial if all opposition parties achieve a consensus.”

Inside sources said that the meeting, chaired by Qazi Hussain, was brief as Maulana Fazl was unmoved by the arguments of the leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (Noorani), JUI (Samiul Haq), Tehrik Islami (Shia) and Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith.