LAHORE, March 20: A proposed meeting between leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-N and the PML-Q scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled, jeopardising Q-League chief Chaudhry Shujaat Husain’s formula for government formation in Punjab.

In another development, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has invited Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to Raiwind for lunch on Sunday. The two leaders had a telephonic conversation on Friday.

Sources in the PML-Q claimed that PML-N chief Shahbaz Sharif had invited Chaudhry Shujaat and Pervaiz Elahi to Raiwind, but the N-League denied having extended any invitation.

“Chaudhry Shujaat had told his party’s consultative meeting in Islamabad on Thursday that Shahbaz Sharif had invited them for talks,” a PML-Q leader told Dawn.

“When Chaudhry Shujaat was asked to take along a couple of party leaders, he said the invitation was specifically for him and Pervaiz Elahi,” the PML-Q leader said. On the other hand, a PML-N leader said: “We learnt only through the media that Chaudhry Shujaat wishes to visit Raiwind. Neither a formal invitation was extended by us nor did the Chaudhrys formally approach us for the purpose.”

He said the Chaudhrys abandoned their plan to visit Raiwind after the PML-N refused to accept the PML-Q chief’s formula envisaging formation of a coalition government by all the three major parties in Punjab.

Another PML-N leader, however, admitted that an invitation had been extended, but said it had to be cancelled because of a “severe reaction” in the party against the move.

He said it had been felt that the visitors might raise the issue of the forward bloc to create an embarrassing situation for their hosts by projecting it as a violation of the Charter of Democracy.

The PML-Q took exception to the Sharifs’ ‘refusal’ to host its leaders, describing it as ‘ill-mannered’. The party said the two Muslim League factions would now find it difficult to work together.

The move also indicated that the Sharif brothers did not care if the PML-Q entered into an alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party.

“The outcome of the long march has intoxicated the Mian brothers. Now they feel that they don’t need anyone and will prefer a solo flight,” a member of the Chaudhry family said.

He said Shahbaz Sharif had invited the Chaudhrys to Raiwind and on Friday he rang a relative of Chaudhry Shujaat for rescheduling the meeting from Saturday to next week. “This is embarrassing and we will not consider meeting them anymore after this episode.”

He said only Chaudry Shujaat, Pervaiz Elahi, Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were to have attended the Saturday meeting.

“The PML-Q forward bloc, which claims to have the strength of 30-odd members, is another factor which eliminates the need for any such meeting,” he said.

Sources claimed that although Chaudhry Shujaat had said that he would discuss his formula of a three-party provincial government with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, terms and conditions for an alliance between the PML-N and PML-Q were expected to be thrashed out on Saturday.

They said the PML-Q wanted to carry forward an alliance with the PML-N to the next general elections. They wanted the PML-N not to field candidates on seats won by the PML-Q last year. The PML-Q also wanted a 40 per cent share in the Punjab cabinet -- the same Pakistan People’s Party had before Feb 25.

“The PML-Q now has no moral obligation in case they go along with the PPP,” they said, adding that the episode had given an opportunity to the dissidents to make up their mind about returning to their party.Sources in the Governor’s House said an alliance between PPP and PML-Q was a matter of days. They said Governor Salman Taseer would not call a session of the provincial assembly unless the two parties join hands. “Since there are remote chances of an alliance between PML-N and PML-Q, the PML-N has one option –coming back to its old coalition partner in Punjab for continuing to occupy the treasury benches,” they said.

Iftikhar A. Khan adds from Islamabad: Prime Minister Gilani is likely to discuss a road-map for implementation of the Charter of Democracy with the PML-N chief.

Sources said the PML-N leadership would emphasise the need for making the procedure of judges’ appointment more transparent in accordance with the charter.

They said the a petition field by the federation for review of Supreme Court’s judgment disqualifying the Sharif brothers, imposition of governor’s rule in Punjab and steps to ensure supremacy of parliament and independence of the judiciary would figure in the talks.
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