0
LAHORE, Dec 19: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali is scheduled to meet Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Vice-President Qazi Hussain Ahmad in Mansoora on Saturday in a fresh attempt to persuade the alliance to support him at the time of the vote of confidence on Dec 30.
His meeting will be preceded by another between Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and the MMA leaders on Friday.
However, there is little possibility of the prime minister or the chief minister succeeding in their mission.
The MMA is willing to offer support to the prime minister, but in return for the conditions difficult for Mr Jamali to meet.
The religious parties’ alliance demands that Gen Musharraf should give up his post of army chief by a set date, withdraw the Legal Framework Order and restore the 1973 Constitution.
At a recent meeting in Peshawar, the MMA had decided not to support the prime minister during the vote of confidence.
On the other hand, ARD President Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan is using his influence to keep the MMA away from the PML-Q. He had succeeded in keeping the MMA on his side even when efforts were being made for the formation of the federal government.
The MMA, knowledgeable sources say, had been offered posts of deputy prime minister, and speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly. However, the talks failed as the MMA was focusing on matters concerning the Constitution.
The matter is believed to have come under discussion at a meeting between Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Nawabzada Nasrullah here on Thursday.
Talking to reporters, Maulana Fazl said a joint opposition in the National Assembly was possible but the MMA had not yet taken any decision on the issue.
He said the MMA was making a requisition of the NA session to discuss why judges of superior courts had still not taken the oath under the 1973 Constitution; the FBI operations in Pakistan and the imminent US attack on Iraq.
ISLAMABAD: Mr Jamali has planned his meeting with Qazi on President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s advice, sources said.
Talking to Dawn, MMA Deputy Secretary-General Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, who had met Mr Musharraf on Wednesday at the wedding ceremony of the daughter of Tariq Aziz, the former principal staff officer to President, quoted the president as having advised Mr Jamali to mend his ways with the MMA by meeting Qazi.
Hafiz said the president had asked him to help consolidate the democratic system and ensure that the government completed its term.
Hafiz said he informed the president that government’s attitude was well exposed during the Sindh Assembly’s speaker and deputy speaker election. He elaborated that the governor, in violation of rules, had extended the time meant for filing of nomination papers and accommodated the official candidate against the democratic norms.
Meanwhile, Hafiz met NA Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain on Thursday and told him that the MMA wanted to file requisition of the assembly session.
