ISLAMABAD, Aug 15: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Thursday said the decision when President Gen Pervez Musharraf should give up his uniform would be taken by the president himself, and not by the opposition parties.

Talking to newsmen after inaugurating the Madar-i-Millat Train, the prime minister said he would soon invite the opposition leaders for further talks on the LFO. The government and opposition should arrive at an understanding in the national interest, he stressed.

Asked to comment on the chances of success of talks with the opposition, Mr Jamali said the situation was “encouraging”.

In reply to a question, he said the National Assembly session would be convened soon.

Answering a question when he would visit India, the prime minister said he would go there when he received an invitation from his Indian counterpart.

Earlier, the prime minister paid homage to Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah while inaugurating the special train that had been named after her at the Rawalpindi station as part of the Madar-i-Millat year celebrations.

He said some people and parties who were claiming to be champions of democracy today had opposed the Madar-i-Millat during her campaign for presidential elections.

FLAG-HOISTING: Addressing a flag-hoisting ceremony outside the parliament in the morning, he said war was no solution to disputes and added that Pakistan was against all kinds of terrorism. However, he pointed out, Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be interpreted as weakness.

For achieving peace in South Asia, he said, Jammu and Kashmir dispute would have to be resolved. He said peoples of Pakistan and India became independent in 1947 but people of Jammu and Kashmir were still yearning for independence.

Lauding the services of armed forces, Mr Jamali said they had rendered supreme sacrifices for the defence of the country and added the entire nation was proud of them. “World knows the capability of our armed forces.”