TAXILA, April 21: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has stressed the need for formation of a grand opposition alliance for restoration of true democracy and to avert persistent political, constitutional, judicial and democratic crises.

Talking to newsmen here on Friday after addressing a reference in the memory of Rawalpindi district amir of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), Hafiz Mohammad Saad, he said formation of the alliance was the only solution to the prevailing problems of the country. He said such an alliance was needed to launch a decisive movement against the rulers.

Responding a question, he said transparent and fair elections were impossible unless an interim government was formed and the president relinquished the post of chief of the army staff.

He said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal supreme council had agreed it its recent meeting to keep in contact with other opposition parties to form a grand opposition alliance against the government.

He said the supreme council had decided to convene a conference of all the opposition parties in the country to develop consensus on a four-point agenda of resignation of President Pervez Musharraf; establishment of an interim set-up under Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro for holding free, fair and transparent elections within 90 days; formation of an independent Election Commission; and restoration of the 1973 Constitution.

He said that if any party from the opposition got involved in a secret deal with the government, it would lose its popularity.

On the Jamia Hafsa issue, he said efforts for enforcement of shariat should be within the Islamic, moral and legal framework.