Friday, December 24 2004 22:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan's hardline Islamic alliance Muttahida Majlis-e Amal (MMA), which has threatened to intensify its agitation against President Pervez Musharraf if he doesn't quit as Army Chief by December 31, today (Dec 24, 2004) decided to hold talks with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, which are expected to focus on the issue of the General's uniform.

A meeting of the Supreme Council of MMA in Islamabad granted permission to its secretary general and Leader of the Opposition, Fazalur Rehman, to meet Aziz.

After the meeting, MMA spokesman Hafiz Hussain Ahmed told reporters that Rehman will meet Aziz. "It will be just a goodwill gesture and nothing more."

Rehman himself told TV networks that he will be meeting Aziz but "there is no obvious agenda for the talks as yet."

He said Aziz had earlier hinted that the Government is ready to remove MMA's reservations over the National Security Council. The Government has also sought details about MMAs reservations.

Last year, MMA helped provide the necessary two-thirds majority for the Government to get Musharrafs constitutional amendments ratified after the General promised that he would shed the uniform by December 31, 2004.