18 January 2005	Tuesday	07 Zilhaj 1425

LAHORE, Jan 17: The Punjab PML secretary-general has hinted at a possibility of reconciliation between the ruling party and the PPP (Parliamentarians).

Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said at a press conference here on Monday if once arch rivals Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto could work together, then what was wrong if the latter decided to sit with the PML led by the Chaudhrys of Gujrat.

He, however, hastened to add that this alliance would be on the basis of principles. He said the PML had introduced politics of tolerance which was unprecedented in the history of this field. "We are tolerating opposition governments in two provinces for the last couple of years while in the past such set-ups had been dismissed in no time."

About possibilities of electoral alliance of the PML with coalition partners in the forthcoming local body polls, he said his party would take along all political allies. The coalition would clean sweep the polls, he boasted.

Mr Zaheer, who is also provincial communication and works minister, told a questioner that attempts were continuing on developing consensus among provinces on Kalabagh Dam, while funds for the project had been made available.

He believed that the provinces were close to arriving at a consensus on the issue. Earlier, leaders of traders of New Anarkali and social and political workers belonging to the PPP and the PML-N announced their joining of the ruling party.