Grand opposition alliance to emerge on Aug 14

Islamabad, Jul 24: An opposition alliance encompassing the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), the six-party Islamic Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), the nationalist Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM), the Awami National Party, the Pakistan Tehik-i-Insaf and other groups is likely to be announced on August 14, the Independence Day of Pakistan, a media report said.

''Hectic political activities are expected next week when leaders of the ARD meet the MMA and other opposition parties to get their consent on moving a joint no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the first week of August,'' The Dawn newspaper said.

The MMA, which has started its mobilisation campaign by holding rallies, is set to invite the ARD to attend the meetings.

The ARD and the MMA, which had already agreed to work in close co-operation in both the Houses of Parliament, were in touch to finalise modalities for the broader alliance.

Jamaat-i-Islami secretary-general Syed Munawar Hasan, who has returned recently from London after meeting Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) president Shahbaz Sharif and other leaders, has confirmed that the ARD leadership was ready to extend co-operation to the MMA in its planned rallies.

Pakistan Muslim league (PML-N) leaders Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif have directed their party cadre to keep in touch with like-minded opposition leaders in connection with the no-confidence move.

The MMA will hold its next rally in Hyderabad on July 28, after which leaders of the alliance would visit Baluchistan, Mr Hasan said.

He asserted that since the last big rally of the series was planned to he held at Minar-i-Pakistan and the ARD had promised to participate in it, there was every likelihood that the leaders would meet on its sidelines to formalise the grand opposition alliance.

''The two major alliances are already in agreement on a three-point agenda of separation of Army from politics and removal of Gen Musharraf from the posts of the President and the Chief of the Army Staff, setting up of a national interim government with consensus and elections under a neutral election commission,'' he added.

UNI