ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: The Supreme Council of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Friday authorized the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to meet Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

A meeting of the MMA's supreme council was held here on Friday under the chairmanship of Qazi Hussain Ahmed which reviewed the political situation in the country and the invitation of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to the leader of the opposition.

The council allowed Maulana Fazlur Rehman to meet the prime minister as a goodwill gesture. -APP The MMA supreme council demanded that President General Pervez Musharraf should relinquish the army chief's post by December 31, adds our staff reporter.

It warned that if General Musharraf did not fulfil his promise by the deadline, the MMA would observe a black day on January 1, marking the beginning of a country-wide agitation.

Without taking a definite decision about launching the second phase of its anti-government movement, the MMA decided to take other opposition parties into confidence to draw a protest strategy. In this connection, it authorized Qazi Hussain to hold talks with other parties.

Briefing newsmen, Maulana Fazl said that the alliance was opposed to mid-term polls and would like to see the elected assemblies complete their term. Answering a question about recent statements of Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, the Maulana accused the minister of trying to create differences between him and Qazi Hussain.

Responding to another question, he said the National Security Council issue was not discussed in the meeting. Any decision about attending or abstaining from future meetings of the NSC would be taken by the supreme council in its next meeting, he added.

He said he had had a telephonic conversation with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari on Friday during which he complained to him about the delaying of a meeting with ARD chairman, Makhdoom Amin Fahim and PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq.