LAHORE, July 13: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy has distanced itself from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s offer to extend the deadline for divestiture of President Pervez Musharraf’s uniform by one more year.

“Giving a year to Gen Musharraf for shedding the uniform is Qazi Hussain Ahmad’s personal opinion. The ARD’s stance on the issue remains unchanged,” alliance’s president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan told journalists after a ceremony that was held to launch two books by a journalist.

While talking to journalists in Islamabad the other day, MMA vice-president Qazi Husain had expressed his willingness to accept Gen Pervez Musharraf as army chief till Nov 2004 rather than the previous deadline of Nov 2003.

The size of the Aug 14 public meeting in Rawalpindi would vindicate the ARD’s decision to stick to its stance, Nawabzada Nasrullah said.

Describing the Legal Framework Order as being the biggest problem in efforts for national cohesion, he said that the people of Pakistan would also take to the street in the same way as they had done to support the Iraqis people.

Expressing his reservations, he said that no army dictator had ever transferred all powers to the civilian set up, adding that Pakistan was the only country in the world where someone had come to power through a referendum. “Referendums are held to solve controversial issues rather than perpetuating personal rule.”