KOHAT, Nov 19: Former federal minister for law and parliamentary affairs Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gilani has hinted at early polls as Gen Pervez Musharraf may take full advantage of MMA’s internal diffrences on the resignation issue.

Talking to newsmen at his residence on Sunday, he said that the unusual delay in the submission of resignations by the MMA has made its position suspicious among people and the government would play a carrot and stick game to exploit the situation in its favour.

It's a trap for a segment of the MMA which is willing to become the prey, he remarked. He said the adjournment of the National Assembly session for such a long period seems to be a ploy to strike a deal with the MMA, of course without Qazi Hussain Ahmed.

Mr Gilani, an eminent lawyer and constitutional expert, said that the delay in submission of resignations would weaken the MMA. He said the MMA had twice announced to resign, once over the Bajaur issue and second time on the passage of Women’s Rights Bill, but at both occasions they failed to honour their words.

On the issue of Hasba Bill he said that it would again be decided by the Supreme Court and is more a political gimmick rather than a serious attempt to provide cheap and speedy justice to people.

Replying to a question about the Musharraf-Benazir deal Mr Gilani, who parted ways with Bhuttos PPP after 23 years, said that both parties have set tough conditions for each other for an alliance. Benazir Bhutto had tied the uniform issue with supporting him for the presidential slot. She also demanded that all cases pending against them in courts be withdrawn.

The stakes for both are very high because in case of removing uniform Gen Musharraf will lose support of he army, his baby party and the US and in another case Ms Bhutto will lose her voters for supporting a president in uniform. This would undermine the struggle of 25 years by her

party against military regimes.

He said that the people have great expectations from the present chief justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry who can play a pro-active role by declaring the sanads non-equivalent to bachelors degree and could declare the runner-ups as members of parliaments. He had the courage to take suo motu notice of the president’s unconstitutional decisions and partisan role too and pull the country out of the quagmire.

He accused President Musharraf of continuously flouting constitution by not addressing the joint session of the parliament.

The president's speech is essential because in this way the whole stock of failures and achievements of government's performance is taken at the beginning of each year besides new goals are set.

"We expect the least from President Pervez Musharraf to respect the spirit if he has no regard for the sanctity of the written constitution. His predecessors, duly elected by the parliament have addressed the parliament amidst hooliganism, which is part of democracy. The president claims to be constitutional head of the state so what bars him from coming to parliament" he questioned."

There is complete chaos and insecurity in the country and the politicians who express themselves or demand their right for the province or sanctity of constitution were killed. He cited the example of Sindh where the high court had been asking the intelligence chiefs to give details about dozens of missing people.

He said that the politicians and senior retired and some serving military officers were perturbed by the attitude of the president who makes laughing stock of the parliamentarians but when it comes to his own institution he spares nobody.

He blamed Gen Zia ul Haq for making people and the government hostage to the military. Taking advantage of the legacy the decision to play the role as a frontline state in the US war against terror was made by a single man on receiving just one call. Although there was no parliament, but he should have invited senior politicians and intelligentsia and consulted them before taking any decision.