LAHORE, Dec 8: The six-party Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal would be the main beneficiary if the present assemblies complete their five-year term, Tehrik-i-Istiqlal president Rehmat Khan Vardag said on Monday.

He told newsmen at an Eid Milan party that the MMA had the capability to overthrow the government but it was observing restraint knowing that it would be the biggest beneficiary if parliament completed its term.

“Besides, the MMA understands that in case of a chaos in the country, either a new army general will take over or the power may be handed over to a politician who could serve the US interests more eagerly,” he said.

Mr Vardag said the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy was not in a position to launch any drive against the government because its major components had ignored their workers while awarding party tickets in the past.

The TI chief opposed re-hiring of retired civil and army officers for various jobs in view of the increasing unemployment rate.

Welcoming the peace moves by Pakistan and India, the TI chief said both the states must avoid war to ameliorate the lot of their people.

Mr Vardag proposed a 30-year no war pact between the two countries and turning the defence spending towards social sector uplift projects.

He said Kashmiris should be allowed to fight for their freedom struggle independent of the Islamabad’s influence to discourage the labelling of Pakistan as terrorist state.

About the Kalabagh dam construction, he said the Tehrik had always been supporting building of water reservoirs.

The TI believed that if more dams were not constructed within a decade India would have no need to attack Pakistan for destroying it.