LAHORE, Jan 4: Responding to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s statement about unification of Muslim League factions, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain has said his party will cooperate with any political party or group if it considers it to be in national interest.

According to press release issued here on Sunday, Chaudhry Shujaat said: “If the purpose of unification is to protect the country’s sovereignty and unite the people on issues like external aggression, internal instability, poverty, price hike and loadshedding, the PML-Q is ready to cooperate and work with all political parties.”

However, if this was meant to save “one’s government in a province”, his party would have nothing to do with it.

“If anyone wants cooperation to save the Punjab government, it is a matter of Kursi (power) and not one of principle.”

Chaudhry Shujaat said the Q-League would not become a part to any plan to put pressure on someone to fulfil “promises made in London and Dubai”.

“We don’t want to become a party to the tussle between the PML-N and the PPP which in any case, is highly-personalised and detrimental to national interest as it is being waged at a time when unity is needed to face grave challenges,” he said.

“They have a narrow agenda and we wish them well, but our agenda is neither personal nor a quest for power. We seek a better future for our people.”

He said those who criticised Q-Leaguers for supporting a military ruler for nine years had forgotten that another military ruler had propelled them into politics.

“Under his patronage, they thrived in politics for 11 years. In those years … political workers were flogged, something that never happened during the Musharraf government.”

He said the party’s identity would be maintained at all cost because it had presence in all provinces with the second-highest vote bank.

He said his party was registered with the Election Commission as the ‘PML’ and the N-League was one of its factions.