September 29, 2003	Monday	Sha’aban 2, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: The central executive committee (CEC) of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q will meet here on Monday to consider the suggestions put forward by the Dr Khalid Ranjha committee regarding merger of five PML factions.

The meeting, to be presided over by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, will be attended by PML-Q MNAs and senators.

Dr Ranjha has suggested that all the factions submit applications to the Election Commission, requesting it for the removal of affixes of their factions to pave the way for their merger into a unified party.

According to sources, the agenda before the CEC was to discuss a safe mode for the unification of party factions without causing any disruptions in the leading party, the PML-Q.

A majority of senior PML-Q leaders have already voiced their opposition to the dissolution of party organizations before legal hurdles are cleared and it is guaranteed that the PML-Q’s vital interests would be safeguarded.

A party source said these senior leaders were of the view that all the four factions of the PML should merge with the PML-Q to make the process legally safe.

These leaders gave the example of PML-Qasim led by Kabir Ali Wasti which decided to merge with the PML-Q and as a result its president was given the post of PML-Q vice-president.

The sources said Ijazul Haq, Hamid Nasir Chattha and Mian Manzoor Wattoo had given their consent to this proposal, while the Pir of Pagaro was being persuaded to accept this proposal so that the constitutional lacunas and other difficulties in the unification process could be avoided.