ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: Parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in National Assembly Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Friday contacted the ARD leadership and briefed them about the ongoing talks with the government on the issue of Legal Framework Order.

Sources said the MMA leader talked to PPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim and acting PML-N chief Makhdoom Javed Hashmi separately on telephone from Lahore and briefed them about the progress in talks with the government.

The sources said the JI chief also invited both the leaders to join the MMA in the next round of talks with the government. The invitation, however, was turned down by both the leaders, saying the decision to boycott talks had been taken by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. The ARD leaders told Qazi Hussain Ahmed that they had authorized Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan to take a decision in this regard.

Both the leaders reportedly told the JI chief that they could not take part in the negotiations in which a timeframe was being set for Gen Pervez Musharraf to remain in uniform as the ARD was not ready to accept him in uniform even for one day.

Talking to Dawn, Javed Hashmi said Qazi Hussain Ahmed had assured him that if the government did not come up with the proposed constitutional package before summoning the National Assembly session, the MMA would join the ARD in its protest against the LFO in the assembly.

Meanwhile, sources in the ARD said the telephone calls made by the JI chief showed that he did not feel comfortable with the developments since the end of the last round of talks with the government. The sources said there were reports that Qazi Hussain Ahmed contacted the ARD without first consulting Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

They said unlike Maulana Fazlur Rahman, the JI chief had not issued any statement against the ARD since the two opposition alliances developed differences over holding talks with the government. They said it was Qazi Hussain Ahmed who insisted on inviting the ARD for parleys during the MMA’s talks with Prime Minister Jamali.