ISLAMABAD, Sept 16: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal president Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Saturday refused to cooperate with the government on the protection of women’s rights bill and restated that the alliance would resign from assemblies if the bill was passed in any shape other than what had been proposed by the 9-member Ulema Committee.

PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, accompanied by party secretary general Mushahid Hussain, had a meeting with the MMA president on Saturday morning but it proved unproductive as the latter declined to discuss the bill, saying: “The bill has become a petty matter as we are determined to go ahead with our programme of removing Gen Musharraf from both offices.”

Federal Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, however, refused to attach any significance to the event saying it was a ‘routine’ meeting in which they discussed various issues.

Later, talking to Dawn the MMA chief said that he had told PML leaders that the bill had been tabled to divide the opposition but it had also caused split in the ranks of the ruling coalition.

He said the MMA was of the opinion that the move to amend Hudood laws on the pretext of providing protection to women was an effort to destroy the institution of family which gives real protection to women.

Talking to Dawn by telephone, Mr Durrani claimed that the bill was discussed in light of earlier contacts with MMA secretary general Maulana Fazlur Rahman and Mr Hussain endorsed whatever had been agreed upon in these contacts.

About the fate of the bill, the minister said redrafted bill would go to the select committee of National Assembly where amendments made after consultations would be endorsed and scope of the bill would be expanded as suggested by the Ulema committee.