PPPP, MMA divide on women bill widening

SAHIWAL—PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has vowed to lead the decisive campaign against the rulers, soon after announcement of the election schedule. On her e-mail message with the name of ex-Additional Session Judge Nazar Muhammad Fatiana here she said the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal would have to change its double policy.
She said on one hand the MMA was with the government as its component party in Balochistan while on other was not ready to quit power in NWFP. Benazir said she had directed the provincial presidents of the party and the acting chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim to prepare for the elections to defeat the rulers through public votes.
She said the agreement between PML-N and the PPP for joint struggle to restore democracy was not a triumph of them but a treaty for the revival of 1973 constitution and to get rid of the dictatorship, which will not only benefit the ARD but would also be helpful for all political parties.
She said the supremacy of the constitution and parliament would be restored at last in the country. Benazir asked the party workers to make preparations for the forthcoming general elections. Chairman of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Makhdoom Amin Fahim has said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would support protection of women right bill approved by the Select Committee in National Assembly up coming session.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who is also Chairman of PPP, said his party stance on Hadood Ordinance based on principle, Fahim told a private TV channel here on Monday. He said that PPP would support the government if amended bill to Hadood Ordinance modified by the Select Committee to move in the National Assembly commencing from 10th of this month.
To a query, Fahim said Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), ARD were working as joint opposition, and patching label of grand opposition alliance was not necessary. He said an informal meeting of Parliamentary Parties of ARD and MMA would be held before session of the House, which would help in understanding stances of each other.
He said MMA was independent and autonomous political alliance and ARD will neither give any dictations regarding separation from Balochistan government nor criticize its policies over national issues. “We have good working relation preserving same stance over various national issues which must be continue”, Fahim said. He said setting up election-alliance of parties including in ARD was not expected so far.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Alam (MMA) President, Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that the Majlis-e-Amal would go to the extreme in opposing the Women Rights Bill approved by the Select Committee and against the Bajaur attacks in and out of the parliament. Talking to newsmen after the meeting of ‘Markazi Shoora’ of the Jamaat-e-Islami at Mansura here, Qazi Hussain Ahmad told that none of the seminaries in the country has remained safe, as if the US today has attacked the seminary at Bajaur, then they could attack any place tomorrow. —Agencies