LAHORE, Oct 2: An all-party conference will be held in the city on Oct 10 to discuss a course of action the opposition parties should pursue to force Gen Musharraf to quit as army chief.

The APC is being organized by the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy. A day before the APC, heads of the ARD parties will be meeting here to devise their own line of action. Their strategy will also be discussed at the conference.

According to the alliance secretary-general, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, dates of the ARD meeting and the APC may be changed in case Makhdoom Amin Fahim's return from the United States is delayed. Also, he said, an informal ARD meeting would be held before the formal session of the alliance to decide whether or not to extend an invitation to the MMA.

The announcement by Qazi Husain Ahmed on Friday that the MMA would not apologize to anyone for the role it played in the approval of the 17th amendment, has disappointed the ARD.

Similarly, the assertion that the religious alliance would recognize Gen Musharraf as the legitimate president if he take off his military uniform has also irked the ARD leaders.

There are indications that the ARD may name the APC as a round table conference in case it decides not to invite the MMA because of difference of opinion on the fundamental issues.

Kirmani: Gen Pervez Musharraf should take off uniform before Dec 31 according to his promise, Nazaria Pakistan Forum president Dr Asif Saeed Kirmani said on Saturday.

He told the general body meeting of the forum that Article 63-1-D of the Constitution bars keeping two offices by a person simultaneously.

Keeping on with the uniform would also negate the principles of democracy, Dr Kirmani remarked.