ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The Supreme Council of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Thursday decided to delay a decision about taking part or otherwise in the general elections and submission of nomination papers by its candidates till a final decision was taken by the combined opposition.

Former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif talked to MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed by telephone before he left Jeddah for Riyadh for a meeting with King Abdullah.

MMA deputy secretary-general Liaquat Baloch, who was released earlier on Thursday and attended the meeting, told Dawn that Mr Sharif had agreed to a proposal that opposition candidates should submit their nomination papers so that they did not miss the Nov 26 deadline set by the Election Commission.

Both leaders agreed that efforts should be stepped up to convene a conference of all opposition parties to work out the future line of action.

On Wednesday, the MMA president had a telephonic conversation with PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. The two leaders agreed to maintain contacts.

The MMA meeting decided that Qazi Hussain, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Liaquat Baloch would work with other opposition leaders for convening the multi-party conference proposed by the PPP.

Sources said that leaders of the religious alliance who met at Qazi Hussain’s residence could not decide whether to announce a poll boycott under the PCO or wait for other opposition parties to reach their decision.

Some participants opposed the boycott of elections on the ground that it would give a free-hand to the military government and further weaken the voice of the opposition.

The sources said Nawaz Sharif in his talks with Qazi Hussain had hinted at early homecoming and striving to forge a grand opposition alliance against what he called Gen Musharraf’s unconstitutional and undemocratic actions.