The Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal, Pakistan's main Islamist alliance, has once again said that President Pervez Musharraf has agreed to quit as chief of army before December 31, 2004.

The MMA in return has promised to constitutionally elect Musharraf as the president.

Senior MMA Leaders Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and Liaquat Baloch, who held talks with the ruling PML-Q alliance last week, informed the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy that the general has finally agreed to quit the post of army as demanded to end the stand off over his constitution amendments.

"The government's negotiating team agreed on separating the two offices by Musharraf latest by December 2004 but whether he would be getting vote of confidence or a fresh election for the presidency would be held, was yet to be decided," The Nation quoted MMA leaders as telling a meeting of ARD leaders held in Islamabad on Tuesday.

MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed told a private TV channel on Sept 6 that Musharraf has agreed to quit as army chief but senator S M Zaffar said the general would only take a decision at an 'appropriate time'.

The agreed draft was expected to be presented at an all party meeting to be called by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and would be later tabled in Parliament for approval.

MMA Leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad said on Tuesday that though an understanding has been reached that Musharraf would quit as chief of army by 2004, his alliance would wait till Jamali presented it to party leaders.

The ARD parties, however, expressed reservations over the proposed constitutional package between the MMA and the government and said it cannot support Musharraf as a president with or without uniform till fulfilling the constitutional requirement.

The ARD parties also expressed reservations over other 'basic issue', which grant more powers to Musharraf.

But the ARD parties expressed satisfaction over the government's reported willingness to bring the constitutional package before the parliament.

"It will be your great success if the government brings the LFO before the Parliament," the newspaper quoted a PML-N leader as saying.