QUETTA, Feb 28: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leaders Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Noor Mohammad have called upon the alliance leadership to quit the coalition government in Balochistan and work for forging a grand opposition alliance to launch a ‘decisive movement’ against the government.

Talking to reporters at the Quetta Press Club on Wednesday, both the National Assembly members said that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and PONM thought that MMA’s coalition with the ruling PML in Balochistan was an obstacle to forming a grand opposition alliance.

Maulana Noor appealed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to play a role in promoting conciliation between President Pervez Musharraf and leaders of Balochistan to save the province from destruction.

Hafiz Hussain suggested that the MMA should dissociate itself from the PML in Balochistan to pave the way for greater unity among opposition parties.

He pointed out that the MMA Supreme Council had already decided to quit the coalition government in Balochistan and this was the most appropriate time to implement that decision.

He said that the ARD was opposing MMA’s joining of the grand opposition alliance and attending a multi-party conference in London because of MMA’s partnership with the PML in the coalition government.

Hafiz Hussain said the law and order situation in Balochistan had deteriorated because of the military operation and cautioned that the situation could get worse if the United States attacked Iran. He demanded that the Balochistan issue should be resolved through dialogue.