PESHAWAR, Dec 31: The People's Party Parliamentarians has said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has accepted the LFO as part of the constitution and "ditched the real democratic forces of the country".

Talking to Dawn at the opposition's chamber on Wednesday, PPP's Abdul Akbar Khan said the passage of the 17th Amendment had exposed the real face of the "Mullah-Military Alliance". He alleged that the MMA had struck an "expensive deal" with the federal government for providing protection to what he called its inept government in the province.

He said the government had incorporated those clauses of the LFO into the bill which it had amended on the MMA's demand but, he pointed out, the government and MMA were silent over the remaining clauses.

He said the MMA had tried to taint the image of the real opposition by posing as a farcical opposition to the military rule. He said the MMA, which had opposed Gen Pervez Musharraf's referendum, accepted him as president in uniform for one more year. According to the Constitution, he said, Gen Musharraf could not become president.

Mr Khan held the MMA equally responsible for the failure of democracy and rule of law in the country. In reply to a question, he said according to the 73 Constitution except for MPAs no other person could preside over the assembly session.