June 6, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24,1423

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ISLAMABAD June 5: The efforts for the unification of various PML factions have once again hit snags after PML(N) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq’s refusal to sit with unification committee convener Gohar Ayub Khan and latter’s meeting with the representatives of two factions failed to bring any fruits, sources told Dawn.

Gohar Ayub, in his meeting with Sardar Asef Ahmed Ali and Sheikh Siraj on Tuesday, insisted that he was only mandated by his party to unify all the factions into an alliance while the other faction representatives wanted an outright merger of all factions.

Biggest hurdle in complete merger/unification of all League factions is that the PML(QA) sticks to its stand of keeping its organizational setup intact, meaning thereby that Mian Azhar would remain head of the unified party, the condition not acceptable to other factions.

It had decided to include PML(N) in its initiative to keep the options of unification open in case it faced difficulty in allying with other parties having good vote bank, the sources disclosed.

Meanwhile, Azim Chaudhry, Joint Secretary of the PML(QA) told Dawn that the unification plan was not abandoned. He, however, hastened to add that the party would ultimately reach an understanding on seat adjustment basis with the Jamaat-i-Islami, the PTI of Imran Khan and the JUI of Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

He said the efforts were still continuing although formal meeting scheduled for June 4 was postponed. Sardar Asef Ahmed Ali and a representative of Pir Pagaro, however, had held informal meeting with Gohar Ayub on Tuesday.

Siddiqul Farooq, Information Secretary of the PML(N), on the other hand, said his party was ready to absorb all League factions but not the one led by Mian Mohammad Azhar.