The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on Friday offered to join hands with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) over the issue of president's uniform, if religious alliance concedes its mistake over backing ruling coalition on the 17th Amendment.
The alliance also demanded of the government to form an impartial judicial inquiry committee comprising high court judges on Wana operation.
ARD Secretary General Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said this, while speaking at a press conference here after ARD's meeting at the PML-N Secretariat.
ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim chaired the meeting in which members from different political parties, including Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Syed Khurshid Shah, Tahmina Daultana, Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmed, Munir Ahmed Khan, Abdul Rauf Mengal, Amanullah Khan and others participated.
Briefing the journalists, Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said that the ARD has adopted a principled stance on President General Pervez Musharraf's uniform issue and it was reaffirmed that no relaxation would be given to him (Musharraf) at any cost.
He cautioned that the president would never shed his uniform, adding that countrywide protest movement would soon be launched. The ARD is striving hard to undo 17th Amendment, as it has badly damaged the Constitution, he added.
Jhagra also said that the MMA has committed a very serious mistake in supporting the 17th Amendment. He asked the alliance to admit its mistake in front of the nation, which has weakened democracy in the country.
Talking about the role of MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said that the government has taken wrong step to nominate Fazlur Rehman as opposition leader in the National Assembly.
Speaking about the recently launched Wana operation, the ARD leader criticised the government's aerial operation and said that the government should constitute an impartial committee to investigate the nationalities of the people, who were killed due to bombardment.
He claimed that some 80 innocent people were killed in the operation merely to please the US. He accused the government of not disclosing the real figure of causalities of Army soldiers during the operation.
To a question, Jhagra said that the next meeting of the ARD would be held on September 20 in Quetta. The ARD leaders will address Quetta Bar Association on September 21.
Expressing his views on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's cabinet, he termed it a joke with the nation. He also criticised the government's policies, including Kashmir policy.
He urged the government to allow Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to return back, as they are real leaders of the nation.