KARACHI, Oct 9: The organizational setup of the unified Pakistan Muslim League will be completed in five phases.

They are adoption of resolutions by the councils of each faction in favour of the unification, adoption of a constitution for the PML, formation of a central structure, nomination of the provincial organizations and the district bodies to enrol and establish a setup at the grass-root level.

This was stated by Shaikh Sirajuddin, secretary of the PML organizing committee. The committee is headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

Talking to Dawn, Shaikh Sirajuddin said except for the organizing committee, no other body of the PML existed as the party setup would now depend on the constitution to be adopted for the unified PML.

He said that the organizing committee would go through the constitutions of the PML factions and after its selection, the party would approach the Election Commission for the removal of affixes attached with each faction and registration under the PML.

Answering a question, he said all faction cease to exist after the unification decision by the leadership.

However, according to the PML circles, the organizing committee is likely to adopt PML(F) constitution which was adopted in 1971 and considered to be the replica of the original founding document with minor changes.

Meanwhile, political analysts say there are still hurdles in the unification of the PML as the PML(Q) organisation, particularly in Punjab, was not prepared to dissolve its structure and become part of the unified party.

This impression was also gathered from the speeches delivered by the factional heads of the unified Pakistan Muslim League at their reception held at the “Kingri House” on Wednesday.

It was an indication that the “new” party might not be able to get a smooth sailing, and if the powerful circles failed to come to the aid of the party, the apprehensions of Pir Pagara about the creation of yet another faction of the party will come true even before its take-off, political analysts close to the PML confided to Dawn.

The Punjab Muslim League (Q) is the only chapter throughout the country which managed to get its government installed and run it without any fear of changing the horse in the middle. They feared that after the amalgamation of all factions into the unified PML fold, the party would have to accommodate the leaders of other parties, thus they would be losing their hold in their constituencies.

These matters even before the speeches at the “Kingri House” were in the knowledge of PML chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain who is now on a private visit to London and Germany for a medical check-up, the PML sources said.

Although, President Gen Pervez Musharraf himself has nominated Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the party chief of the unified PML, the PML(Q) leadership appeared reluctant to accept the decision of giving up their identity as after the dissolution of their faction, they will have to share not only party offices, but in the next election the party leaders of other factions who were defeated in the October polls would have to be accommodated, the sources added.

On this position, the Punjab chapter is not prepared to compromise until a miracle takes place, that only could either be with the direct indulgence of President Pervez Musharraf by taking over the party. Pir Pagara is already on record having proposed the president to take over the party to make the PML more effective.

If the present resistance by the PML(Q) Punjab chapter continues, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would himself have to request formally to President Musharraf, alongwith leaders of other factions to accept party presidency as well, the sources opined.