ISLAMABAD Oct 20: Pakistan Muslim League (Q) president Mian Mohammad Azhar has allayed the fears of western diplomats about the imposition of another martial law if the ongoing deadlock continued and the formation of a government was delayed.

Talking to newsmen at his residence on Sunday Mian Azhar said: “I think our politicians are mature enough to understand the consequences of a deadlock and would take their parleys to a logical end.”

Col Ghulam Sarwar Cheema, additional secretary-general, and Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar, a candidate for prime minister and party’s Sindh president, were also present.

Mian Azhar strongly refuted reports of his utterances against his party leadership for not consulting him, and said: “I have full control over the party affairs and no one in the party moves without my instructions”.

He denied any rift in his party over the naming of a party candidate for the office of prime minister and added a number of candidates namely Zafarullah Jamali, Khurshid Mahmud Qasoori, Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar and Omar Ayub were in the run, and the party will pick one of them in a couple of days.

Asked what would be the fate of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto if they return home after the installation of a civilian government he said: “The law should take its course and they must face the courts”.

On the possible assemblies’ dissolution in case of a deadlock over the formation of the new government he said there was no such possibility”.

Commenting on Zubaida Jalal’s name being mentioned as a candidate for premiership he said, although her name had not yet been proposed, we will have no objection to it if it was suggested. About the national government, Mian Azhar said: “The idea is good, but not practicable as it would be a total negation of the democratic norms.

Responding to a query as to what extent his party agreed to the constitutional role of the army Azhar said: “In our view parliament should remain supreme and above any other institution including the National Security Council.

When asked if the party had delayed in giving Jamali’s name for premiership because he was chief minister twice, the PML (Q) leader said: “When a person has been CM twice he is still eligible for the office of prime minister”.

He told a questioner that his party will not have any objection to president Musharraf continuing as president after the restoration of the 1973 Constitution.

Replying to a query Mian Azhar said that the new assemblies will complete their five-year term.

When his attention was drawn to the federal law minister’s fear that the formation of a new government could be delayed due to late senate elections, Mian Azhar said: “The senate always comes after the national assembly and the new government, hence, there was no reason for a delay.”