ISLAMABAD, March 25: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) deputy secretary-general Liaquat Baloch has demanded convening of a joint session of parliament to discuss the issues like uniform, military operation in Waziristan and turmoil in Balochistan.

Speaking at a news conference at the camp office of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club, Mr Baloch announced a strategy of public mobilisation by holding MMA’s district-level conventions, congregations in mosques and provincial meetings to organise alliance workers before the next elections.

Mr Baloch said there was a dire need for a national debate on all issues confronting the country’s solidarity, including Pakistan’s growing disillusion with Afghanistan, its improved relations with the US and failure to strike a deal with India. For this debate, a joint parliament session was proper forum, he said.

He strongly criticised the official public meeting held on March 23, 2006, at Minar-i-Pakistan, which, he said, had cost Rs500 million public money pooled from all the 26 districts of Punjab and termed the spending illegal, immoral and unconstitutional.

He said Gen Musharraf’s presidency and uniform had become controversial after Dec 31,2004, and all his actions thereafter had no moral or legal ground of acceptability.

In reply to a query, he said the combined opposition and the MMA would keep all options, including withdrawal from the Balochistan and NWFP governments, resigning from assemblies and launching of a drive against Gen Musharraf, intact and would use anyone of them at an appropriate time.

Answering a query about Gen Musharraf’s dual offices, he said that since he (Musharraf) had cheated 160 million people by backing out from his commitment to shedding uniform on an appointed date, his holding of two offices had also become questionable.