ISLAMABAD, July 16: All component parties of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) have decided to continue their protest against the Legal Framework Order (LFO) inside parliament, if the government convenes National Assembly session before the proposed government-opposition talks.

Informed sources told Dawn on Wednesday that the government wanted to convene a session of the National Assembly as soon as possible so as not to fall behind the target of holding mandatory sessions during current parliamentary year.

They said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in his recent meetings with opposition leaders had expressed the desire to call a session of the National Assembly. The prime minister had also expressed the hope that opposition parties would cooperate with the government in conducting a rumpus-free session.

They said the ARD, however, had decided not to allow the government to run the House according to its agenda, as long as the issues concering the LFO was not resolved. The members of the ARD also advised the prime minister not to call the National Assembly session before the proposed meeting of all party heads.

When contacted, deputy information secretary of ARD Munir Ahmed Khan said at this stage the ARD could not give any assurance to the government regarding the smooth running of the NA session.

He said a meeting of all heads of ARD parties would soon be held in Islamabad.