ISLAMABAD, May 19: Commerce Minister and Senior Vice- President of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Humayun Akhtar held an hour-long meeting with former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali here on Thursday.

The meeting is regarded as a significant development by political circles as both the leaders were hostile to each other some time back but have joined hands after developing differences with party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

Details of the meeting were not available as Mr Jamali left for his hometown Dera Murad Jamali while Mr Akhtar was not available on telephone. However, informed sources said that they had discussed the PML affairs, particularly the issue of party elections scheduled for next year as announced by President Musharraf at the PML central executive committee meeting at the President’s House on Sunday.

It is said that Mr Humayun is serious about his candidature for the office of the PML president in case the party decides to hold elections for the post. Mr Akhtar, son of former ISI chief Akhtar Abdur Rahman, was a front-runner in the race for premiership when President Gen Pervez Musharraf decided to replace Mr Jamali last year.

However, due to opposition from the Chaudhrys who enjoy support from different quarters, Mr Akhtar could not get the top slot, which went to Shaukat Aziz, and he had to accept a down-sized commerce ministry (textile was made an independent ministry).

Mr Akhtar and Mr Jamali have been critical of the way Chaudry Shujaat was running the party before President Musharraf intervened and salvaged a fragile unity in the party’s ranks.

Mr Jamali has mended fences with the Chaudhrys after Chaudhry Shujaat, Chaudhry Pervez Illahi and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain called on him, and seems to have accepted the patch-up half-heartedly. However, he is also being viewed as a possible replacement of Mr Hussain if the party decides a change of guard.