Islamabad: Hardline Islamist alliance, the Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA) has offered to give a one-year deadline to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to quit the key post of Army Chief, provided the government agrees to implement its 17-point Islamisation programme.

The MMA's decision to give a one-year deadline to Musharraf was conveyed by deputy secretary general, Hafeez Hussain Ahmad to the president of the ruling, pro-military, Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Sujat Hussain, in Lahore on May 31.

MMA leaders, who were involved in intense parleys with the confidantes of Musharraf to strike a compromise deal on Musharraf's legal framework order (LFO), which incorporated his amendments, agreed to give a one-year deadline as against a two-year period being sought by the President to give up the post of Chief of Army.

Sujat Hussain along with a team of top intelligence officials negotiated with MMA leaders for a two-year term for Musharraf as Army Chief, media reports said.

Earlier, the alliance wanted Musharraf to quit the post by August 14 2003, the independence day of Pakistan, but agreed to extend the deadline by a year, if Musharraf agreed to implement its Islamisation programme, which included shutting down US bases in Pakistan and implementation of the Shariah law.

Ahmad said MMA leaders were ready to extend the current deadline to Musharraf beyond August 14 if the government accepted its charter of demands regarding LFO and Islamisation. He said the date to quit the post could be worked out with mutual consultations.

PTI