ISLAMABAD, Sept 1: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) may decide to scrap its dialogue with the government or give a “final deadline” for the finalisation of the talks process.

Speaking at a joint news conference of the combined opposition at the assembly cafeteria, MMA’s deputy secretary- general Liaquat Baloch said on Monday that the alliance’s supreme council would consider various option, including scrapping of the talks in its late night meeting.

Mr Baloch, while criticizing the government for what he described as its failure to conclude the process decisively, said it was intriguing that the government’s side had time and again accepted their point of view during the talks.

Accusing the government of ignoring the opposition’s agenda in connection with the smooth running of the parliament, he said it (the government) was not serious in taking up any legislative business.

Referring to the statement of prime minister Jamali in which he had blamed politicians for the current political crisis, he said that certain “egoistic” individuals and not politicians were to be blamed for the political problems. He did not elaborate but added that these individuals were hampering the resolution of the problems.

ARD’s parliamentary group leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi said that the opposition had foiled the government’s plans to disqualify eight or 10 of the opposition MNAs by provoking them through the use of abusive language, paving the way for the parliament’s joint session to be addressed by president.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, MMA’s deputy parliamentary leader, protested against the arrest of some army officers on charges of having links with the Afghan resistance.

Urging the prime minister and minister for defence to disclose facts about these arrests, he said increased FBI influence would be a recipe for disaster.