KARACHI, Oct 22: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, said that the lust for power had made the institution of the army, controversial in the eyes of the people.

Hafiz Ahmad, who is on a visit to the city, was speaking at an Iftar party in Keamari Town hosted by the local JUI-F chapter in his honour, pointed out that according to the agreement with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), General Pervez Musharraf had to doff the military uniform by Dec 31, 2004 but he betrayed the nation.

He dispelled the impression that General Musharraf had not taken off his military uniform because of the agreement with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and said that had it been so the president had no need to refer the agreement in his address to the nation for taking off the uniform.

Accusing General Musharraf of misstatement he said that if the MMA had provided the basis for not taking of his military uniform then why he had waved the agreement on PTV on Dec 31, 2004 and pledging to 150 million people of Pakistan to doff his uniform which was on record.

He said that General Musharraf, who claimed to be an outspoken and straight forward person, should openly confess of his betrayal.

The MMA leader said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) had provided a way out for the army to retract from politics but it was lust of power of General Musharraf that had made the institution of the army controversial.

He said that today all the opposition parties were united on sending the armed forces back to barracks and still there was time for President General Pervez Musharraf to have mercy on the country and the army institution by taking off his uniform otherwise people would be forced to perform this duty.