January 25, 2002	Friday	Ziqa’ad 10, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) President Mian Mohammad Azhar on Thursday expressed confidence that the party would emerge the strongest political unit in the October elections.

Talking to newsmen at PML House, he said: “The efforts for reunification of all the factions of PML is in an advanced stage and there is every likelihood that all the leaders of all the leagues will get united.”

He said the preliminary talks between the party delegation led by him and Pir Pagara of PML (Functional) had been successful as the PML(F) leader had given his total and unconditional support to the efforts for unification of factions.

Mian Azhar is set to meet head of another faction of PML, Hamid Naser Chatha, at Lahore on Friday. He will be accompanied by former minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, party Secretary-General Gohar Ayub Khan and Joint Information Secretary Azim Chaudhry.

Responding to a query by Dawn, Azim Chaudhry said the meeting was taking place after strong signals from the other group about its readiness for unification with the PML(QA).

He said the meeting of the old guard on Jan 29 will start the process for emergence of the party as a strong political force.

Senior leaders, Mohammad Ali Khan of Hoti and Zafarullah Jamali, vice-president of the party, will be among the participants in the meeting, he said and added the final meeting for the unification would be held on Feb 14.

When asked about the possibility of more defections from the PML, Azhar said: “Party colleagues are in contact with many of the faction leaders and are confident of positive results.”

He said he was confident that the PML would win the elections and form the next government. He did not confirm reports of PML’s entering into an electoral alliance with any regional party.