ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Some senior politicians calling themselves independents are getting together at the residence of former speaker Syed Fakhr Imam and ex-federal minister Begum Abida Hussain in Islamabad on Tuesday to form an alliance of opposition politicians.

It may be mentioned that Begum Abida Hussain and Syed Fakhr Imam had hosted similar meetings of dissident PML-Nawaz leaders who later decided to form a group of like-minded Leaguers which later became the PML-Q.

In the meeting, sources told Dawn, the group would discuss that it calls the threat faced by the federation of Pakistan particularly in references to the situation in Balochistan, and chalk out a plan for an anti-Musharraf movement in coalition of other political parties.

The politicians in the group include some who held senior posts in past governments and parliaments, dissidents in the ruling PML and a few others who were defeated in the last elections.

Some of the politicians expected to attend the meeting are: former speaker of the National Assembly Elahi Bakhsh Soomro and former deputy speaker Wazir Ahmed Jogezai, former Balochistan chief minister Mir Taj Muhammad Jamali, former law minister Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, former governor Punjab and founder president PML-Q Mian Muhammad Azhar, former minister of state Col Ghulam Sarwar Cheema (rtd), Raza Kuli Khattak, Shahid Kardar, former MNAs Said Munir, Salim Khan Khalil, Chaudhry M. Ashraf, Begum Malhi and Umar Farooq Miakhel.

Talking to Dawn, Begum Abida said the meeting was a follow-up to an earlier gathering of senior politicians. She said the meeting had the blessings of Air Marshal Asghar Khan, Justice Dr Javed Iqbal (rtd) and Sardar Sherbaz Mazari.

She said independent politicians were extremely perturbed over the recent rise in prices and cost of living, unemployment and economic recession which were the outcome of the wrong policies of the government of General Pervez Musharraf.

The meeting is expected to form a committee to initiate discussions with opposition parties to workout a minimum programme for a movement to change the government. The leaders will address a news conference in the evening at the end of their meeting.