ISLAMABAD: The Acting Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Maulana Mufti Mahmud, today [May 28] asked the Government to hold a referendum in the country to determine its own popularity; or to agree to the formation of a `national government`.

Addressing a Press conference here today with several other Opposition members ...

Mufti Mahmud said contrary to the Government propaganda against the UDF, the Opposition`s boycott of the [NA] was aimed at winning for its Members their right to represent their constituents in Parliament`s two Houses which ... was being denied to them.

The Press conference revealed little ...

regarding the Opposition`s future line of action. Newsmen asking questions were told that the UDF parliamentary party was taking stock of the situation and had not yet concluded its deliberations. Apparently, the Press conference had been called by Mufti Mahmud to reassert that the controversial February 6 agreement was not a myth and had actually been reached between the Government and the Opposition. ... He read out portions of the official record of the [NA] proceedings to establish that the agreement had been accepted. Islamabad Bureau