Haq claims Musharraf offered to quit army post

A visiting parliamentarian from Pakistan has claimed that the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) has been assured by Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf that he would quit his post as army chief but that the deal must remain secret for now.

Maulana Sami Ul Haq, Vice President of the MMA, and leader of Jamiat Ulemae Islam-Sami (JUI-S) told Gulf News in a na exclusive interview that during recent talks between MMA and the federal government, the president had asked that this issue not be made public.

Haq said the government delegation headed by Prime Minister Mir Zafrullah Khan Jamali, offered a package of constitutional amendments to the six-party religious alliance in September. It was at this meeting that they received a message from the president that he may quit uniform and agree to some constitutional amendments but under certain conditions.

The JUI-S leader said: "Musharraf conveyed to the alliance that he is willing to accept some of the opposition demands, but dropping some of his powers, such as quitting the uniform, will not be part of the constitutional amendments.

"The general told us that it was in the national interest under the current circumstances that his voluntary gestures are not included in the constitutional amendments. The general told us, 'It is between you and us only'."

He also said that the president was amenable to the amendments to the Legal Framework Order, but it would be a verbal agreement."

Sami said the President initially asked for a year's time before he would hang up his uniform. "The deadline was October 2004. But later, he asked for three more months. I cannot see him keeping his word," he said.

The MMA leader said the country was sliding "deeper and deeper" into a political and constitutional crisis, while the president continued to "humiliate the public mandate and the elected representatives in the parliament". He said "the president and the federal government have no respect for the people's elected representatives".

"The people and their political parties want a civilian president under the constitution," he stressed.

The JUI-S leader, who was here on his way from Pretoria, South Africa, to Islamabad, believes the government is acting on the behest of the US.

"The government, especially its foreign policy, is being remote-controlled by the US. The government is doing what the US wants. The Pakistani Army and US FBI agents are harassing and arresting innocent people under the pretext of terrorism. Now there is an FBI agent on every Pakistani street."

About ARD leader Javed Hashemi's arrest the JUI-S leader said it was regrettable to note that no opposition leader was now safe in Pakistan. "It could be any one, including myself, who could be arrested and charged with serious crimes, such as sedition."

He also railed against Musharraf's assurances to his Chinese counterpart that Pakistan will not harbour rebels from China's Xinjiang region, Said Sami: "Has the general got a worldwide contract to kill Muslims around the world? His he a successful bidder for such a contract?