LAHORE, March 22: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy has cancelled its public meeting scheduled for Wednesday at Attiq Stadium, and decided not to participate in MMA?s million-man march. Alliance secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said after a meeting of ARD components held at the residence of Nawabzada Mansoor Khan that the stadium could not be used for a public meeting because of the rainwater there, and an alternative venue could not be arranged immediately.

He said the decision had been taken with a consensus, and there was no question of any deal with the government. He said heads of the ARD parties would now be meeting in Islamabad on March 28 to decide the future course of action.

As for cooperation with the MMA, Jhagra said the ARD had an agreement with the MMA on three points and a line of action to realize those goals would be worked out by a committee. However, he said the ARD would stay away from MMA?s Wednesday march in the city.

It is said that PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, in the UAE at present, told Mr Jhagra by phone that the alliance should not make even a token participation in MMA?s march. The PML-N endorsed the decision.

Some PML-N leaders say now the MMA should be satisfied as the ARD would not be holding a parallel event in the city, as a result of which the religious alliance would be indirectly benefited. Jhagra said the ARD was in contact with Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. ?Staff Reporter