October 14, 2002	Monday	Sha'aban 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan Muslim League (N) has offered full cooperation to Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for the formation of future government and other issues, MMA leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed told Dawn on Sunday.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif contacted me by phone to congratulate on alliance’s victory in the polls and reassured his party’s support, Qazi told Dawn.

Qazi Hussain said the PPP had also contacted him and asked the MMA leadership not to make any commitments before meeting party chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim. “Qasim Zia, President of Punjab PPP, rang me up this afternoon and said Makhdoom Amin Fahim was ready to meet me immediately,” Qazi Hussain said.

Earlier, President Musharraf telephoned Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Saturday night and felicitated him on alliance performance. When asked if Gen Musharraf had discussed anything in particular, he said it was only an informal chat.

Meanwhile, MMA appears to be more inclined to sitting on the opposition benches in Centre rather than joining a coalition government.

“The alliance would prefer to form (coalition) governments in the NWFP and Balochistan,” senior MMA leaders told Dawn.

The first crucial meeting of the heads of MMA component parties being held here on Tuesday morning would assess the post-election situation and discuss possible coalition with other parties.