17 February 2004	Tuesday	25 Zilhaj 1424

LAHORE, Feb 16: The PML (Functional) on Monday distanced itself from the decisions taken by a committee comprising representatives of five factions of the Pakistan Muslim League, in connection with their unification , saying the body was tasked only to propose a mechanism, not stray into other areas.

The party's central working committee at a meeting subjected its representative Sheikh Sirajuddin to a scathing criticism for transgressing his mandate, and withdrew him from the body.

Chief organizer Kanwar Qutbuddin and provincial president Sheikh Anwar Aziz will now represent the party in the committee. Mr Qutbuddin told reporters after the meeting that the decisions that the council of the unified PML would have 1,500 members or that all factions would adopt the constitution of the ruling party were not acceptable to the group led by Pir Pagara.

No such decision could be taken unless the central working committees of all factions approved it, he said. Sheikh Anwar Saeed and information secretary Shakir Ali Rizvi were also present at the news conference.

Mr Qutbuddin said of all the decisions taken so far the only one which was acceptable to his party was the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat Husain. He said the committee was not working on a pace necessitated by the gravity of the fast changing situation. Now the body would have to double up its efforts to complete its task at the earliest, he added.

He clarified that the whole exercise was for an alliance, not merger and a merger would be possible only when office-bearers of the unified party were elected in a manner provided by the constitution.

Setting aside the decision taken by organizing secretary Sheikh Siraj, Kanwar Qutbuddin revived all party organizations in Sindh. He was all praise for the policies being pursued by President Musharraf and said he should take all democratic and patriotic forces into confidence about the situation facing the country.