KARACHI, Aug 18: Pakistan Muslim League (functional) president Pir Pagara has called upon all the patriots in the country to unite under the banner of the Muslim League to save the federation from further disintegration.

Pir Pagara, who was chief guest at an Independence Day function organized by his party under the chairmanship of PML (F) provincial president Sadruddin Shah alias Yunus Sain, said that Pakistan had been created for the Muslims of India but unfortunately they were neglected. He especially invited all those who had migrated from India, and the reciters of Darood-o- Salam to strengthen the party under whose banner Pakistan came into being.

Referring to his recent meeting with President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Pir Pagara said as PML’s interest was dear to him, he urged the President to invite all factions of the party, listen to them and play the role of an arbitrator for the party’s unification, announce the office-bearers of the unified PML and then he would abide by the decision.

Pir Pagara said that he made it clear to the President that as PML factions were creation of the agencies it was his (President’s) responsibility to unify them.

He said it was not new for him to fight for the case of the PML as he had done the same with Gen Ziaul Haq, who had said that it was his compulsion while Pervez Musharraf, he added, only said that he was aware of the pitfalls ahead of him.

Describing the PML (Nawaz) as turncoats’ faction, he said the future did not belong to them and power would be transferred only to the PML.

Pir Sadruddin Shah said that there were no short cuts to power as those who had adopted the way to reach the top had always slipped faster than ascending.

Former diplomat Qutubuddin Aziz recalled the role and sacrifices of the Pagara family during the independence movement and after creation of the country to save the federation and added that the day was not far away when the PML would be unified under the leadership of Pir Pagara.

Khan Sultan Mehmood Khan from the NWFP said that if we wanted Pakistan to survive long and become a fort of Islam, we have to strengthen the PML.

Shaikh Anwar Saeed from Punjab said that the PML had been divided into factions under a conspiracy to keep all the patriotic forces at bay and open the field for plunderers.

Bostan Ali Hoti said that Pir Pagara, Muslim League and Pakistan were complementary to each other.

Shaikh Sirajul Haque traced the history of the efforts being made by Pir Pagara for the unification of the PML as, he said, only a unified party could put the country on road to progress.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Khabir Alam, Sultana Akhtar, Zafar Leghari, Hina Ghouri, Talat Munir Fateh, Dr Shafi Boi Khan.

The PML-F (women wing) announced the Pir Pagara Gold Medal for those rendering selfless services to the Muslim League and Shaikh Sirajul Haque was declared to be its first recipient.