LAHORE, Sept 19: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy has conditionally welcomed the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's cooperation for mounting pressure on President Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down as army chief.

"We will welcome their (MMA) cooperation provided they agree to follow the course of action decided by us," ARD's chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim told Dawn here on Sunday.

The MMA strongly opposes the ruling party's point of view on the issue, while the ARD thinks that Gen Musharraf cannot stay in power as president or as army chief. ARD leaders have, so far, been reviling the MMA for its role in the adoption of the 17th Amendment.

Some leaders have been insisting that the religious alliance apologise to the nation for its past conduct before expecting a positive response from the ARD. However, Amin Fahim did not set any such condition for cooperation between the two alliances, indicating the softening of the ARD's attitude towards the MMA in the new situation.

"The issue of Gen Musharraf's uniform can be a basis for cooperation between the two coalitions," the ARD chairman said. When it was pointed out that the PML chief Chaudhry Shujaat Husain was of the view that the opposition should not insist on Gen Musharraf to relinquish his army post as a majority of parliamentarians wanted to see him in both roles, the ARD chief said he would not agree with the opinion.