PESHAWAR, Aug 9: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said corps commanders should not involve themselves in political affairs and stay away from the current political quagmire.

“They (commanders) should mind their own business and focus on professional matters, rather than on politics,” Qazi Hussain said in reply to a question about the endorsement of President Musharraf’s present role by the army top brass.

Talking to Dawn here at Al Markaz-i-Islami, the JI’s provincial secretariat, on Friday, he said some circles were airing speculations about the corps commanders meeting while no official statement had been released in this regard.

Mr Hussain said: “Generals have nothing to do with politics. It is unfair to issue political statements.”

When asked whether the current standoff between Gen Musharraf and political forces would lead to a confrontation between the army and the civil society, the JI amir said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal did not want confrontation with armed forces.

He said the MMA believed in political struggle as masses could not challenge the might of military.

Severely criticizing the attitude of President Pervez Musharraf over the Legal Framework Order, Qazi Hussain said President Musharraf had developed a liking for power and now he would not easily relinquish the wide-ranging powers vested in him.

He said the government was inflexible on the LFO despite the fact the MMA had offered to accept President Musharraf as president for one year. The government, he said, was asking the MMA not to demand a “cut-off date” for President Musharraf to shed his uniform.

He said under the Constitution a man in uniform could not be accepted as head of the state.

The JI amir said no headway had been made in the government-MMA talks on the LFO as both sides were sticking to their respective positions.

“So far, we have just heard each other’s point of view, but have not discussed the core issues,” Qazi Hussain said, adding the MMA had categorically told Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali to table all matters before parliament.

About differences between the MMA and the ARD, Qazi Hussain said both sides had adopted the same stand on the LFO and the MMA wanted the ARD to take part in the talks.