LAHORE, Aug 23: The opposition parties may consider the option of boycotting district governments which, they claim, are a product of rigged elections. This was stated by Syed Munawwar Hassan, the secretary-general of the Jamaat-i-Islami — an important constituent of the MMA — at a ceremony organized by the Media Elites Forum here on Tuesday.

Asked if the opposition parties, especially the MMA, would continue to be part of the product of rigged polls, he said a final decision would be taken jointly by all opposition parties when they would sit together after Aug 25.

The massive rigging, he claimed, had put a fresh impetus into the efforts of forming a grand opposition alliance whose modalities would be decided after the second phase of elections.

About the possibility of the MMA sacrificing its rule in the NWFP for the sake of a forceful movement against the government, he said such a decision would be part of the whole package to be discussed with other opposition allies.

“We have kept all options open. We have tendered resignations from the governments in the past as well. Political workers give no preference to being part of government over larger ideals and party policies.”

Asked whether MMA Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rehman would also support this step, he said: “The Maulana has changed after being deported from Dubai. His tone has become harsher against the rulers.”

He told a questioner that the opposition parties had reached the conclusion that holding further talks with the government meant giving it a new lease of life.

About supporting the ARD’s demand for fresh elections, the Jamaat leader said both alliances were unanimous that Musharraf had to go and the Senate chairman would replace him for holding interim elections to steer the country out of crisis.

About MQM chief Altaf Husain’s peace offer, he said “the MQM is a fascist outfit and not a political party. Friendship can only be made with political parties, not with fascist groups.”

The peace offer, he said, was not genuine because the MQM had realized that it was fast losing hold over the masses despite rigging the local polls.

PML-N: The PML-N fears the ruling party will rig the second phase of the local elections to be held on Thursday.

The party’s provincial secretary-general Zaeem Qadri said in a statement on Tuesday that his party would resist any bid to manipulate results.