24 August 2004	Tuesday	07 Rajab 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 23: Acting parliamentary leader of the PML-N Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has admitted that the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) is facing a 'serious threat due to the ongoing tussle between the PPP and the PML-N over nomination of a candidate for the prime minister's office.

Speaking to Dawn here on Monday night, the PML-N leader said: "Obviously, if both the parties continue to stick to their positions, then there is a serious threat to the existence of the ARD."

This is for the first time that any senior ARD leader admitted that the ARD can break up if differences between the two major component parties of the alliance continued.

Mr Nisar said the PML-N had supported the PPP in the last election and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in the first election for the office of prime minister. "Now its the PML-N's turn," he said and added: "After all, the PML-N is a large political party. Every party has got its turn and now its our turn."

He said the PML-N had also supported the PPP candidate in the by-elections in Attock and did not field its candidate on three provincial assembly seats of Bahawalpur in favour of the PPP.

But the PPP, he said, fielded its candidate against the PML-N during the by-election for a National Assembly seat of Lahore. He was of the view that the PPP should show some 'grace' and accept the PML-N's right to nominate its candidate.

He said they had given many chances to the PPP in the past 18 months and the PPP should acknowledge this fact. In reply to a question, he said the PML-N had not nominated any person as its candidate.

However, he said, in a meeting of the party's coordination committee on Friday, it was decided that this time the candidate should be from the party and the name of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi came under consideration.

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