October 10, 2001	Wednesday	Rajab 22, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: The Pakistan Muslim League (like-minded) has planned to invite all the leading political parties to attend a seminar it is holding in the federal capital on Oct 16 to discuss and create national consensus on the future line of action in light of the prevailing international situation.

The move, inside sources revealed to this reporter, had been initiated at the behest of the Musharraf government, which the sources said was extremely perturbed over the growing opposition to its policies, specially violent demonstrations being held in protest against the US air strikes on Taliban and Al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan.

The sources said the government wanted endorsement of its decision of supporting the international campaign against terrorism by the mainstream political parties at the seminar.

It is, however, not clear whether the organizers intended and would be able to bring together politicians as well as leading religious and political parties now spearheading anti-government rallies in the country.

A PML-LM leader, when asked whether the rival PML-N would also be invited, expressed his ignorance about the list of those invited by his party.

Interestingly, while PML-LM President Mian Mohammad Azhar is away from the country, the party press release claimed that the decision to hold the seminar had been taken by him after consulting close associates.

According to the press release,”Party president Mian Mohammad Azhar has decided to hold a national seminar at its central secretariat on ‘International situation and Pakistan’”.