Islamabad: In a move that could resolve the 11-month old Parliamentary crisis, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has reportedly agreed to Opposition parties' demand to quit as Chief of Army and submit his Constitutional amendments to the Parliament for ratification after necessary modifications.

A committee of second-rung leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Qaide Azam (PML-Q) and the six-party Islamist alliance Muthahid Majlis Amal (MMA), which held several rounds of talks to defuse the crisis, announced in Lahore on September 6 that it reached a broad understanding to table the amendments, known as Legal Framework Order (LFO), in the National Assembly after necessary modifications.

It said the proposed amendments would be presented to the Parliament soon after a meeting of all parties to be convened by Prime Minister Mir Zafarllah Khan Jamali shortly. "Both the sides termed the outcome of the dialogue as a step towards a resolution of the problem," official APP news agency said.

A declaration which was released after the talks said that an understanding has been reached on separation of the office of President and Chief of Army, powers of President, retirement of judges and other contentious issues.

Government negotiator S M Jaffer said Musharraf "in principle" has agreed that the posts of President and Chief of Army should not be held by one person and would discuss the date to relinquish the post of Army Chief in consultations with other parties.

Describing the outcome as a breakthrough, senior MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed told a private TV channel that Musharraf "has agreed not to continue in the Army Chief's post beyond 2004".

PTI