LAHORE, May 27: Representatives of six factions of the Pakistan Muslim League met on Monday to explore the possibility of unifying their groups, but the meeting concluded without any agreement on the definition of ‘unification’.

PML-QA secretary-general Gohar Ayub Khan said at the end of the meeting that his party wanted cooperation among all factions while they maintained their respective organizational structures. This, in other words, meant a kind of alliance the constituents of which had their own office-bearers.

However, some other leaders wanted merger of all groups so that the PML contested the ensuing general elections as a strong political force.

“The monitors will see how these factions are to be united”, leader of one faction said euphemistically, without naming the military rulers.

The groups represented at the Monday meeting were the PML-QA, the PML-Functional, the PML-Chattha, the PML-Qasim, the Jinnah Muslim League and the PML-Jinnah.

It was decided that leaders of these factions would jointly meet PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq on June 3 to persuade him that his group should also support the unification move.

When asked what did the ‘unification’ mean? PML(QA) Secretary-General Gohar Ayub said at a press conference at the Muslim League House that it had been decided at the Karachi meeting that despite unification all groups would maintain their identity and office-bearers.

PML-C vice-president Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali said his party was in favour of a merger, not in an election alliance between various groups. He said in case the committee members could not agree to the definition of ‘unification’, the matter would be referred to the party heads.

According to a participant, Sardar Assef reportedly told the meeting participants that in case the unification move did not succeed, his party had the option of joining hands with the PPP.

PML-Jinnah leader Chaudhry Farooq said that the spirit of unifying the party should be appreciated instead of highlighting the failure of the participants to agree to the definition of the word. He said though his party was in the ARD, it was willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of the PML unity.

PML-Q chief Saifullah Saif said his group supported the unification in line with the ideals of the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal. He said his party was still a component of the ARD and the APC.

PML-Functional secretary-general Rana Muhammad Ashraf Khan did not offer his comments on the subject.

Jinnah Muslim League chief Azad Bin Haider offered a nine-point formula for unification. He said the situation would become clearer after the PML leaders’ proposed meeting with Raja Zafarul Haq.