PESHAWAR, Jan 9: The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, has said he is optimistic about prospects of the Muttahita Majlis-i-Amal forging a grand alliance with the ARD and launching a joint movement against the government.

Talking to reporters at the end of a seminar held at the press club here on Sunday, he said that the ARD in its meeting on Jan 14 would decide whether to joint hands with the MMA.

"The MMA is waiting for the response from the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy," he said, adding that if the response is positive a joint meeting would be convened to formulate a future line of action.

"The grand alliance will first set objectives before launching a movement against the government," the MMA leader said. When asked if he had any plans to hold meetings with self-exiled leaders, he replied in negative.

Responding to a question, Maulana Fazl said the MMA was in favour of holding dialogue with the government to avoid deadlocks on national issues. Earlier speaking at the seminar, Maulana Fazl criticized President Gen Pervez Musharraf's decision of retaining the office of the army chief.

He said that on the one hand Gen Musharraf was talking about enlightened moderation, and on the other he had occupied two top posts. The seminar was organized by Salam, an organization which supports the MMA in its efforts for Islamization in the province.

The seminar was also attended by leaders of the PPP, ANP and religious parties. Maulana Fazl said that autocratic and undemocratic forces had promoted extremism, violence and terrorism in the world. He said that terrorism was a crime against humanity and the international community should understand the root-causes of militancy.

He said that at present about 40 terrorist organizations were operating in the United States but the US government had failed to take action against them. He said that Muslims were fighting for their basic rights and freedom but the US had dubbed them terrorists.

The MMA leader urged the world community to differentiate between terrorism and jihad and understand the philosophy of jihad. Speaking on the occasion, former chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Afrasiyab Khattak, accused the Inter-Services Intelligence of making and breaking governments, pitting political parties against one another and causing instability in the country.