ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Friday set a three-day deadline for its alliance partner, the People's Party Parliamentarians, to come up with a final reply (by Monday) on the issue of Benazir Bhutto's participation in a multi-party conference (MPC) proposed by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, sources in the two parties told Dawn.

They said that the PML-N had also given a final ultimatum to the PPP that it would convene the MPC in London by March 18 even without the participation of Ms Bhutto, as the party could not afford to further delay the conference.

The ultimatum was given to the PPP by the PML-N leaders during the fifth round of talks between the two component parties of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) here on Friday.

The PPP delegation was headed by party president Makhdoom Amin Fahim and comprised secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf and Senator Enver Baig. The PML-N team, comprising secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, information secretary Ahsan Iqbal and party's parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Al Khan, was led by chairman Raja Zafarul Haq.

A source in the PPP told Dawn that after receiving the ultimatum, the party had decided to send Senator Dr Safdar Abbasi to Dubai to consult with Ms Bhutto on the issue.

When contacted, PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said the party had suggested two dates to the PPP for the MPC and requested them to check the availability of Ms Bhutto on those dates and inform them latest by Monday. He said the PML-N had proposed March 11-12 and March 17-18 for the event.