LAHORE, Oct 4: People’s Party Parliamentarians leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim has opposed formation of a grand opposition alliance comprising the ARD, MMA and PONM, saying there is no need for such a coalition.

Speaking at an Iftar party on Wednesday and then talking to journalists at the residence of Istiqlal Party chief Manzoor Gilani, he, however, said the PPP was not an obstacle to the unity among political parties.

He recalled that MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad had said that the alliance’s supreme council would take a decision on quitting the Balochistan government, but it linked the decision to the Hudood ordinance and formation of the grand alliance.

Mr Fahim said there was no need for a grand opposition alliance because the ARD, MMA and PONM were already working satisfactorily from their respective platforms. He said it would not be a good strategy to dissolve the existing alliances to set up a new one.

He said if the opposition was not in a position to overthrow the Gen Musharraf government through a popular movement, political parties should prepare for the next general election. He said the nation would decide whether it was in favour of a revolution or elections.

The PPP leader said resignations of legislators would be submitted at a time when they could bring desired results. Quitting the assemblies was a serious issue and it should not be taken lightly, he said.

He claimed that some British MPs had told him that Gen Musharraf believed that free and fair elections in Pakistan would lead to a landslide victory for “fundamentalists”. It showed that Gen Musharraf wanted some kind of “controlled” elections, he said.

Mr Fahim said the time was not ripe to convert the ARD into an electoral alliance.

The ARD chief denied reports that the PPP was trying to strike some deal with the government.

How a deal could be possible when the government had issued red warrants against Benazir Bhutto and sent teams to Geneva to pursue cases against her, he asked. He maintained that whenever the opposition parties got closer, the government spread such rumours.

Nawabzada Mansoor Khan, Qasim Zia, Munir Khan, Naveed Chaudhry, Saifullah Saif, Azizur Rehman Chan, Zakariya Butt, Pir Naubehar Shah, Saifullah Saif, Nawaz Gondal, Munir Gilani, Naveed Malik, Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh and other leaders were also present.