KARACHI, Nov 16: MMA leaders at a press conference here on Tuesday stressed that Gen Pervez Musharraf was under the constitutional obligation to doff his uniform on Dec 31 this year and he must do so to fulfil his commitment.

The press conference, held at Idara Noor-i-Haq, was addressed by MMA Vice-President and JUP chief Prof Shah Faridul Haq, JI leader Syed Munawwar Hassan, JUI-F leader Qari Sher Afzal and JAH leader Maulana Mohammad Yusuf Qasuri.

Shah Faridul Haq said: "If Gen Musharraf remained adamant, then we will decide whether he remains or the country."

He highlighted the need for dissolving the assemblies and holding of fresh elections under an independent election commission.

Prof Haq was of the view that the government's policies had led to rampant corruption whereas injustice was pushing the country into anarchy.

He said that Pakistan was passing through the most crucial period of its history. He pointed out that no constitution, or presidential/parliamentary form of government allowed a president to keep the office of the army chief.

He warned that if the president did not honour his commitment, the MMA would launch a vigorous but peaceful movement against him.

Syed Munawwar Hasan contested the government's claim that the country's economy was gaining strength. He pointed that poverty graph was rising as the ratio of those living below the poverty line had increased from 13 per cent in 1989 to 37 per cent this year.

He said that people were now fed up with the military rule due to rising inflation and unemployment, as well as soaring prices of essential commodities which had been causing a fast deterioration in people's standard of living.

He said that the MMA was striving for a halt to army's intervention in politics once and for all. The army, he added, would be restricted to its constitutional role of defending the country's borders. He severely criticized Gen Musharraf for, what he called, unprecedented miseries brought to the people in the form of unemployment, inflation, soaring prices and sense of insecurity during his tenure.

He explained that the MMA had agreed to let the government introduce the 17th amendment because the alliance wanted to bring the country back under the constitutional rule. For the purpose, the MMA had also forced Gen Musharraf to make the commitment that he would quit as army chief by Dec 31. However, the JI leader regretted, Gen Musharraf was not bent upon bulldozing the constitution by overruling the whole deal through the parliament.

Referring to the Sindh chief minister's statement on the MMA's Nov 28 public meeting in Karachi, he said whatever Arbab uttered was 'his master's voice'.

"However, it is our right to hold public meeting where we will charge-sheet the government for its misdeeds... and U-turn on the issues of national importance, including Kashmir and Afghanistan. We are not going to surrender our right."

Syed Munawwar Hussain criticized MQM chief Altaf Hussain for "delivering speeches against the very existence of Pakistan" from India. He condemned the government for not taking notice of such speeches.

Qari Sher Afzal said that every segment of the society had now been hating military rule. "From ulema to lawyers, and from journalists to workers, everyone is fed up,' he said.

Maulana Mohammad Yusuf Qasuri of Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith said that a society could achieve progress only through the rule of law. "The states where use of force is considered law of the land, society gets degenerated," he added.