LAHORE, March 31: Qazi Husain Ahmed will begin his fifth consecutive term as amir of the Jamaat-i-Islami in April with more determined efforts to evolve a consensus among political parties of all shades of opinion, including the ruling PML, to confine the role of the armed forces to the one mentioned in the Constitution and make the parliamentary system impenetrable for future "interventionists".

Talking to Dawn and then other reporters after being declared elected by more than 80 per cent of the voting members on Wednesday at Mansoora, he said there was a dire need for a political consensus at this juncture.

JI Secretary-General Syed Munawwar Hasan and Information Secretary Amirul Azeem were also present when he was answering questions. Qazi said he was aware of the parties which regarded the Jamaat as an irritant and would personally establish a contact with them to find a common ground for future cooperation.

He said the army had spread itself too thin and the gulf between the defenders of the country and the people was widening by the day. This situation could spell catastrophe for the country which, he emphasized, could be forestalled only if political forces joined hands, burying the hatchet.

Spewing barbs on President Pervez Musharraf for his frequent somersaults on Kashmir, Afghanistan and relations with the people who were once regarded as Mujahideen and were now being treated as terrorists, Qazi Husain said the general should be pressured to quit as army chief by the end of the year, as he had promised to get cooperation from the religious alliance to have the 17th constitutional amendment passed.

By extending cooperation in the adoption of the 17th amendment the Majlis-i-Amal pushed the general back as much as it could, argued the Qazi, who is also acting president of the six-party alliance.

He said if some other party could do more in this regard, the MMA would be willing to offer its cooperation without reservations. He indicated that he would contact the ARD to explore the possibility of mutual cooperation in the new situation.

When it was pointed out that some political parties were apprehending that Gen Musharraf could become Field Marshal by the end of the year to retain all vital powers with him, Qazi Husain said the president would not be able to strengthen his position even if he adopted the said course. He said the general should quit as army chief. In response to a question, the Qazi said his re-election was indicative of the voters' trust in the policies he devised in consultation with the party's Shoora.