SIALKOT, Aug 3: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal central president Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani said on Saturday that the alliance was under no obligation to allow Gen Pervez Musharraf to be in uniform till October 2004.

“It was the demand of Gen Musharraf that he should be given more time to take uniform off,” Mr Noorani said while speaking at a meeting of party workers here.

Mr Noorani said initially Gen Musharraf wanted to be in uniform as long as he remained president, then he sought three years and later two years, but now the period had been reduced to one year.

He dispelled the impression that the alliance was joining the government, saying “had it been our aim we would have joined the government right at the formation of parliament”.

Later talking to newsmen, Mr Noorani said the MMA wanted Musharraf to go in an ‘honourable way’ so that the rule of constitution could be restored at the earliest.