LAHORE, June 1: Qazi Husain Ahmad’s no to a National Security Council meeting is a symbol of MMA’s opposition to ‘dictatorial’ attitude of Gen Pervez Musharraf and any change in the stance will tarnish the alliance’s image. “Whether or not to attend the NSC meeting is a matter of principle and not a minor issue, and deviation from this stance will be considered our retreat and we’ll be unable to justify it,” reveals his letter to the MMA’s supreme council, a copy of which was obtained by Dawn on Wednesday.
The letter, given to the MMA leaders on Tuesday, created a stir in political circles as the Qazi had threatened to step down as the six-party alliance chief if the council decided to attend the NSC meeting.
The MMA has reservations about the NSC, headed by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, while the prime minister, opposition leader, all three armed services’ chiefs, governors and chief ministers of all four provinces, besides some federal ministers are its members.
The alliance’s largest constituent, opposition leader Fazlur Rehman-led JUI-F whose nominee Akram Durrani is the chief minister of the NWFP, is in favour of going to the NSC as the federal government is offering extra financial resources to the province in return.
The Qazi suggested an aggressive mass drive against the federal government for ‘blackmailing’ the NWFP government instead of giving in to its arms-twisting tactics.
“Once we gave in to their unjustified and dictatorial policies, they would further blackmail us on our Islamic agenda which is the actual bone of contention between them and us,” he warned in the communique.
The MMA president admitted that for fear of the federal government and the western media the alliance had already failed to reform society and make easy justice system through the Hisba Act (in the NWFP).
Arguing against going to the NSC, the Qazi said the government had not yet taken any step to remove the MMA reservations about the institution while Gen Musharraf had backed out of his promise of taking off the uniform, which was the basis of the 17th amendment.
Attending the NSC meeting would be like strengthening a man, who could not honour his words, he added.
The MMA is campaigning to oust Musharraf from two offices and a change in our stance on the NSC would be taken as a deviation from the path of struggle and treading the path of reconciliation, he said.
After the NSC, he said, more demands would be put before the NWFP government and it would be asked to support Musharraf’s enlightened moderation agenda.
He threatened to resign as the alliance chief if the council, ignoring these facts, insisted on attending the NSC meeting.
