July 18, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 02, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 17: Ruling Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday and discussed the strategy for the upcoming general elections.

Prime Minister Aziz said on the occasion that the PML and its allied partners would jointly contest the elections to ensure continuation of the development process.

Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi had said in Lahore on Monday that the PML was capable of winning the elections and it would contest them separately.

The prime minister and the PMLO chief discussed the modus operandi for the allotment of party tickets, sources said.

The preparation of preliminary lists of the party’s candidates has begun and the Punjab chief minister announced finalisation of candidates for Rawalpindi region the other day.

A source said that the names of the candidates would be announced after inviting applications for the tickets by the party’s parliamentary board to be set up when the election schedule was announced.

The two leaders reviewed the political situation in the country, particularly in aftermath of the military operation against Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa.

They discussed the issue of voters’ lists, on which various political parties, including the PML, were expressing their reservations.

Prime Minister Aziz said the elections would be held on schedule.

PML Chief Whip in the National Assembly Sardar Nasrullah Dreshak called on the prime minister and discussed the proposed calendar and legislative agenda for the next session of the house.

The prime minister said the assembly would complete its term.

MNA Dr Nisar Ahmed Jatt from Faisalabad also called on the prime minister and updated him on development work in his constituency.