ISLAMABAD, July 24: The government here on Thursday partially succeeded in overcoming its differences with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on various issues as it received the names of two MQM MNAs, which were earlier withdrawn by the MQM, to be appointed as parliamentary secretaries.

Those nominated by the Muttahida are Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada and Shamim Siddiqui.

However, official sources told Dawn that the MQM leadership has conveyed to both the president and the prime minister that on the Thal Canal issue, it was in total disagreement with the government.

The MQM had withdrawn the names of its nominees for parliamentary secretaries in protest against being considered for only two slots while the PPP Patriots, who numerically have the same strength as that of the MQM, were offered four positions.

With the MQM joining the team of parliamentary secretaries, the total number of them has reached 26. They include 18 from the PML-Q four from the Patriots, and one each from the National Alliance and its Functional League.

PML-J head Hamid Nasir Chattha had reportedly refused to accept a single seat of parliamentary secretary and instead demanded a federal cabinet position for one of its four MNAs.

Meanwhile, sources said that PML-Q president and parliamentary leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who is arriving in Lahore from London early Friday morning, has expressed his dissatisfaction over the appointment of the parliamentary secretaries.

He had reportedly asked the prime minister to wait for his return before finalizing the names. “Chaudhry Shujaat is not happy and has questioned the way these nominations were finalized by the PM in his absence,” an important ruling PML-Q leader said. When contacted he told this correspondent that the PML-Q president who has already developed differences with the prime minister over the issue of Legal Framework Order, has disapproved the new decision of Mr Jamali to appoint parliamentary secretaries without consulting him.

Sources said that some of the PML-Q leaders on Thursday asked the prime minister during ruling party’s central committee meeting to take Mr Hussain into confidence before taking any important decision like appointing parliamentary secretaries.

The situation at one stage became tense when a PML-Q lawyers wing president from Lahore, Aslam Zar, posed a question to the Prime Minister that what made it necessary to call this meeting in hurry while the party chief and secretary-general are both out of the country.

Another PML-Q lawmaker, Dr Ashiq Firdous Awan, complained to the prime minister that he was not giving importance to the small areas.

At this the prime minister lost his temper and said: “There is no need to go in those areas if the people consider that my government is not delivering the goods, then I am ready to resign”, a source said.

“Chaudhry Shujaat will meet the president in a day or two and would discuss with him many issues including prime minister’s proposed meeting with opposition heads on July 27”, a source said.