Islamabad, Sep 4 (IANS) Baloch leader Akbar Bugti's killing united the opposition in Pakistan, but there are now divisions in the ranks over the political strategy that needs to be adopted to confront the government.

Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Sunday said the opposition has decided "in principle" to resign from the assemblies en bloc.

But the dilemma of the rightwing Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) is that it is part of the governments in Balochistan and North West Frontier Province (NWFP). And the MMA is unlikely to resign to make an issue of Bugti's assassination, The Nation newspaper said Monday.

Earlier reports had indicated that the MMA might quit to seize the leadership of the movement to protest Bugti's killing on Aug 26 in a military operation in remote Balochistan.

The News International reported that MMA ministers who went to Bugti House to condole the death and offer prayers were turned away by family members of the slain leaders.

MMA has 15 ministers in Balochistan of which at least six visited, without success, the Bugti home.

Leaders of other parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were, however, allowed in, the newspaper said.

Media reports indicate that Bugti's killing has aroused sentiments that the opposition parties feel compelled to respond to.

Reflecting the opposition mood, Fahim said: "General Ziaul Haq gifted Sindh the body of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto while Gen Musharraf gifted Balochistan the body of Nawab Akbar Bugti."

Seeking to draw a parallel of the two actions of 1979 and last week, he said the results would be "dangerous for national integrity".

The opposition parties in Balochistan are clear in their approach. The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) announced on Sunday that its members would resign from the assemblies and the Senate.

Addressing a protest rally here, BNP Central President Sardar Akhtar Mengal termed the assemblies "useless in the aftermath of martyrdom of Nawab Bugti and denial of his body to heirs".

Short of numbers in the National Assembly, the opposition lost the no-trust move against the government. But cricketer-turned politician and Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Sunday described the defeat of the motion against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz as "a huge step towards restoration of democracy in the country".