February 26, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 18, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 25: The PML-N has finalized its president Shahbaz Sharif as the party's parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly and will formally announce the decision after a parliamentary party meeting here on Tuesday (today), it is learnt.

The party claims that with the help of independents and a ‘forward bloc’ in the PML-Q it has attained simple majority in the house of 293 directly elected seats.

It bagged 104 seats in the Feb 18 vote, the PPP stood second with 79 while the PML-Q managed 68. There are 35 independents.

Around two dozens independent MPs will announce their joining of the PML-N on Tuesday, while the PML-F having three seats has already declared its support for Mr Sharif, who is not a member of the house.

His papers were rejected by the returning officer. But he did not go into appeal against the decision on the plea that the tribunal (Lahore High Court) judges had taken oath under the PCO.

However, the party says that there is no hurdle in the way of Shahbaz Sharif becoming the chief minister.

Quoting the precedent of former Sindh High Court chief justice Ghaus Ali Shah who had resigned only to take oath soon after as the provincial chief executive but before being elected to the house, PML-N officials say their legal experts have told them that a chief minister-designate has six months to be elected to the house.

Those who are going to join the PML-N on Tuesday included MNAs-elect Tariq Anees Gujjar from Narowal and Saima Akhtar Bharwana from Jhang, MPAs-elect Waris Kallu from Khushab and Masood Lali from Jhang.

There are, however, differences in the party over accepting the PML-Q members in its folds.

Sources say Mr Sharif argues that causing defections among the PML-Q are all the more necessary to eliminate it as a party and sees no harm in offering slots in the cabinet to the defectors.

Some leaders, including Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, have been cited as reasoning that it will be an injustice with the party workers who has suffered during the five-year rule of the PML-Q

As the PPP is also reportedly interested in directly ruling the province, some independent MPAs-elect are finding it a golden chance "to make hay while the sun shines".

Many of them have formed groups and are holding meetings with both the parties to seek a maximum price for their loyalties.

A Bhakkar group has reportedly demanded one ministry each in Islamabad and in Lahore.

It claims that the PPP has accepted the demand for the federal cabinet's slot and promised to honour the rest if the party manages to form its government in Punjab too.

The group is now awaiting response from the PML-N.