KARACHI, Dec 11: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has decided to convene All Parties' Conference on Dec 20 to work out a code of conduct among different political forces on major issues confronting the nation.

Addressing a news conference at Karachi Press Club on Saturday, MQM's parliamentary party leader in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar said that invitations would be sent to all parties, including the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and nationalist parties.

Dr Sattar said that despite being part of the ruling coalition, the MQM had convened this conference on "political parties and the code of conduct" because it firmly believed that a political culture based on tolerance was essential for strengthening the roots of democratic dispensation in the country.

He said democratic dispensation had been derailed many times mainly due to lack of mutual tolerance in the past. He hoped that other political parties would respond positively to the invitation.

According to him, three committees have been formed to coordinate with other political parties. One of the committees, which will be headed by Dr Farooq Sattar, includes Kunwar Khalid Yunus, Abbas Haider Rizvi, Deputy Iqbal and Senator Mohammad Ali Brohi. It would coordinate with political parties in Punjab and the NWFP. The other committee to be headed by Anwar Alam includes Aftab Shaikh, Nasreen Jaleel and one of the ministers. The third committee would be headed by Abdul Haseeb and it will include Akhtar Bilgirami, Shakir Ali and Hissamuddin.