PESHAWAR, Jan 22: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that the army chief, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, and other services chiefs should quit the National Security Council if the general is sincere about his assertion that the army will not indulge in politics.

“NSC is a political forum with the prime minister, leader of the opposition and chief ministers of the four provinces being its members and, therefore, the services chiefs should leave the body,” he said while addressing the District Bar Association here on Tuesday.

Qazi Hussain urged Gen Kayani to withdraw troops from Waziristan and Swat. He said that the COAS should take practical steps to ensure that the armed forces would not take part in politics.

“Gen Musharraf sent army troops to Waziristan and Swat only to protect the interests of the United States,” he said, adding that Gen Kayani should reverse his predecessor’s policies and focus on professional matters.

He said that tribesmen were being pitted against the army which would have serious repercussions for the country. “Army’s responsibility is to protect the country from external aggression and it should have nothing to do with politics.”

When asked about the future of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Qazi Hussain said the alliance stood ‘frozen’ till Feb 18 and after that its supreme council would decide about its fate.

“Maulana Fazlur Rehman is contesting the elections as head of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and he is not a candidate of the MMA,” he added.Qazi Hussain demanded restoration of the judiciary, formation of a caretaker government acceptable to all political parties and elections under an independent Election Commission. He said that free and fair elections were not possible without Gen Musharraf quitting the presidency.

He said that people should not expect anything from the next government because President Musharraf had categorically stated that he would not allow the next set-up to change his internal and external policies.

“The next government will be more subservient and will not bring about any change,” he said, adding that opposition parties had no confidence in the Election Commission.

He said that people should launch a countrywide movement against the present set-up. He praised lawyers’ struggle for the supremacy of the judiciary and Constitution and for fundamental rights of the people and assured that Jamaat workers would support their movement. He said that the All Parties Democratic Movement would continue its campaign against the elections.