HYDERABAD, Aug 26: The Deputy Secretary-General of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Liaquat Baloch, has said that a grand alliance of all opposition parties is expected to be formed at a meeting to be held in Islamabad on August 29.

He said that the meeting would also evolve a joint strategy to dislodge the government and decide about holding huge public meetings and rallies in the country.

Speaking at a press conference at the press club on Saturday evening, Mr Baloch said that the meeting would also deliberate over the issue of tendering resignations from the assemblies.

He demanded that a threadbare discussion should be held on the no-confidence motion against the prime minister from August 29 to September 1.

He said that the charge-sheet against the prime minister contained details of the “crimes” committed by the government.

He said that tall claims about the prime minister as an economic manager of the country had proved to be a “fraud”.

He said that opposition parties were of the unanimous view that the role of army in politics should be eliminated for good and the supremacy of Constitution should be restored.

He demanded that an independent autonomous election commission should be appointed to hold free, fair, impartial and transparent elections.

Mr Baloch said that under a planned conspiracy, Hudood Ordinance amendment bill had been moved in the National Assembly to divide the opposition and sabotage no-confidence motion.

He said that the government had failed in this conspiracy and expressed the hope that the PPP would not support the amendment bill.

He said that the bill had been moved under pressure from Washington and under the influence of NGOs who wanted to promote western culture in Pakistan.

He said that the MMA and the people of Pakistan would wage a war in and outside parliament to protect “Hudood Allah”.

The MMA leader said that artificial protest by the MQM against the MMA was aimed at appeasing America and Europe.

He said that in fact the military dictatorship was using the MQM to ensure the passage of the Hudood bill.

He wondered why the MQM had not raised its voice against blasphemous cartoons and inhuman atrocities on Muslims in American jails.

He said that a big public meeting would be held in Nishtar Park on August 27, which would be addressed by leaders of the MMA and the ARD.

He said that the Supreme Court decision in the steel mill case spoke volumes about corruption.

Mr Baloch demanded that the privatisation of PTCL, HBL, fertilizer and cement factories disposed of at pittance should be reviewed. He said that after Afghanistan, Musharraf’s policies on Kashmir had also failed as confidence building measures which were initiated under the directives of America were in tatters.

He demanded that nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan should be immediately shifted to hospital for treatment.

He called upon the government to take practical steps in ameliorating sufferings of rain-affected people.