ISLAMABAD, May 6: Six pro-government parties on Monday joined hands to form a new political alliance with an aim to contest October elections from a single platform.

The National Alliance consists of Millat Party led by former president Farooq Leghari, Pakistan Awami Tehrik of Maulana Tahir-ul-Qadri, National Awami Party of Ajmal Khattak, Sindh National Front of former chief minister Mumtaz Bhutto, National People’s Party of former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Sindh Democratic Alliance headed by former MNA Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

The alliance has been formed after a great deal of discussion and consultations and keeping in view the grave economic, social and external problems confronting the country, former president Farooq Leghari told a press conference.

Tehrik-i-Insaaf led by Imran Khan, had also been asked to join the new alliance but he refused. Mr Khan observed that the new alliance had no roots among the masses, rather it was being imposed on the people.

Former prime minister Malik Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, who arrived here from London on Sunday night, has been nominated as the chairman of the new alliance.

Before the formal announcement, the heads of component parties reportedly met the powers known for political wheeling-dealing and forging alliances of pro-government parties.

However, Maulana Tahir-ul-Qadri at the press conference vehemently denied the reports that the new alliance had been formed with the official patronage. Political observers believed that this alliance would later turn into a grand national alliance as other bigger and more significant groups like Muslim League (Q), National Awami Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement may also join the league.

An advertisement agency has already been hired by the new alliance for carrying out its election campaign and a political novice Mehmood Hashmi has been appointed its secretary information.

Farooq Leghari has been nominated as the convener of the Central Coordination Committee of the alliance in which Mumtaz Bhutto, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Ajmal Khattat and Tahir-ul-Qadri have also been included.

Ajmal Khattak, Mumtaz Bhutto, Taj Jamali have also been nominated as vice chairmen from NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan respectively. Two vice chairmen, Afzal Hayyat and Shafqat Ahmed, have been selected from Punjab. Shahabuddin Khan and Malik Farid Khan have been nominated as vice chairmen from Fata. Mohammad Ali Durrani of Millat Party has been selected as the secretary-general of the alliance.

Mr Leghari who had to face a volley of questions from the press tried to defend the recently held referendum. He argued that for every 500 voters a polling station had been set up which facilitated the polling and no rush had been witnessed.

Regarding the conflicting reports about the percentage of votes polled, he said confusion arose because of the fact that so far the exact number of voters between the age of 18 and 21 had not yet been determined.