Except Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (Fazlur Rehman group), other five components of the religio-political alliance have decided to quit the parliament over what they termed an 'un-Islamic' bill and pledged to tender resignations in the upcoming National Assembly session.
MMA central leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed has publicly announced to resign from the National Assembly, saying he would not sit in the parliament even if his party (JUI-F) decides otherwise. MMA Supreme Council meeting lasted for more than five hours with Qazi Hussain Ahmed in the chair but failed to take a definite decision of tendering an en bloc resignation the alliance had earlier announced.
Speaking at a news conference, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rehman differed while receiving a volley of questions regarding the expected decision.
Fazlur Rehman said they have had a comprehensive discussion over President Pervez Musharraf's address to the nation in which he lambasted radical forces for their attitude.
He added the MMA accepts President Musharraf's challenge who, he said, had drawn a clear line between the ideological and liberal segments of the society. Fazlur Rehman, while reading out the statement, said they would launch a significant movement to defeat secular and liberal forces in the country.
Speaking about the controversial women protection bill, the MMA Secretary General said that they have convened parliamentary party meeting of the alliance on December 6 in Islamabad to make a unanimous decision over the situation arising out of the passage of the bill. He said the meeting would materialise the announcement made by the alliance.
However, Qazi Hussain Ahmed came with a sound answer that they have decided to quit the Parliament at all costs, irking Fazlur Rehman who repeated his statement that the final decision would be taken in the parliamentary party meeting.
But Qazi made it clear that they would tender their resignations soon as the National Assembly session gets underway. "Let us go with our phase-wise strategy... what I have read out before you is our unanimous decision," Fazl told reporters, disputing with what Qazi Hussain said.
Likewise, when media persons interacted with the MMA chief after the news briefing Fazlur Rehman jumped into it and argued with reporters for creating any kind of difference of opinion among the components of the alliance. The MMA sources told Business Recorder that the five components of the alliance except (JUI-F) have agreed to quit the parliament.