The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Tuesday welcomed the resignation submitted by former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), saying the resignation shows that days of the government are numbered.
MMA Deputy Parliamentary leader Liaquat Baloch talking to reporters at the Parliament House invited Jamali to join MMA. "We will welcome if he joins us".
He said Jamali took this extreme step after disappointed by the "regime's corrupt and incompetent behaviour". He added that rift in the ranks and files of the ruling party were visible. Baloch referred to President General Pervez Musharraf's public address in NWFP and remarked, he speaks of Islam when he arrives in NWFP.
Baloch said the "President talks of Islam now as he thinks that it is time of his departure". "He will recite Sura Yaseen in next public meeting," Baloch sarcastically remarked.
To another question, the MMA leader observed that the Army belonged to national institution and as such the chief of the armed forces should not have "defended MQM's terrorism". The MMA leader expressed the view that the crisis facing the country would not come to an end even if presidential reference against the Chief Justice was withdrawn.
He informed that the MMA leaders would visit Karachi on Wednesday to express sympathies and condolences with the relatives of those killed in Karachi carnage on May 12. He pointed out that no rally would be brought out on this occasion.
About Lal Masjid issue, he said the rulers could not divert the attention of the people from the CJ issue. He said he condemned kidnapping of the policemen by religious institutions and of the students of religious institutions by the administration. He said one could endorse or differ from the Lal Masjid clerics.
He pointed out that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had held talks with the Lal Masjid Ulema and an understanding was reached between the two but after few days new issues surfaced. "MMA will oppose use of force to settle the issue".
He opined that the situation could significantly improve if the demolished mosques were reconstructed. However, he called for enforcement of Islamic system, and added that Lal Masjid issue could be solved in the light of suggestions of Wifaqul Madaris.
Responding to yet another question, Baloch said that Nawaz League had supported the annulment of the 17th amendment in the constitution, while the attitude of the Pakistan Peoples party (PPP) was of non-co-operative nature. "The PPP supported the Hudood ordinance bill and strengthened the military dictatorship. Now Benazir Bhutto has exposed herself by declining to attend Nawaz Sharif's proposed All Parties Conference (APC)."