ISLAMABAD May 11: Pakistan Muslim League (PML) president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday chaired a meeting of senior party leaders at the PML secretariat. The meeting took stock of the political situation, discussed differences in the party ranks and steps to keep the party united.

The meeting, which was also attended by PML secretary general Mushahid Hussain Syed, senior vice-president Lt-Gen (rtd) Majeed Malik and Senator Nisar Memon, decided to constitute a central working committee (CWC) in line with the formula adopted at the time of merger of various PML factions into a single party. Party’s constitutional adviser senator S. M. Zafar also attended the meeting.

The participants decided to convene another meeting of the leadership on May 13 to set up the CWC and discuss the future line of action, particularly with reference to the next local government elections.

According to sources, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will seek a vote of confidence from the CWC immediately after its formation to blunt the criticism of his leadership from certain quarters.

The decision to form the CWC, however, was not welcomed by some PML leaders. They were of the opinion that a CWC was not the competent forum for a vote of confidence because Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had been elected by the general council and the party constitution did not require him to seek a fresh vote of confidence.

The meeting decided to address the organisational issues in the NWFP and Sindh by holding elections in the NWFP and taking disciplinary actions in Sindh.

The organisation in the NWFP was dissolved by the party president some time back while the Sindh chapter is facing the Arbab-Imtiaz standoff. The meeting, the insiders said, decided in principle to remove both of them from the Sindh party posts.

Chaudhry Shujaat has been says for some times that Imtiaz Shaikh has been exonerated by the prime minister’s inspection commission from the charges levelled by the Sindh chief minister and, therefore, he should not be removed from the party. It was, therefore, decided to remove both to end the power tussle in the province.

The meeting discussed in detail the situation arising out of recenent bickering among top leaders, especially between Chaudhry Shujaat and Mir Zafarullah Jamali over the latter’s party membership. The latest criticism of Chaudhry Shujaat by party’s senior vice-president and federal commerce minister Humayun Akhtar Khan also came under discussion. Mr Akhtar had said that because of incompetence of the party leadership General Musharraf was looking towards the PPP Parliamentarians.

The party leadership took serious notice of the covert and overt meetings and statements by certain party leaders and described them as non-Leaguers.

The PML-Q elements are reported to have advised the party president to seek more representation in the general council after the exit of Pir Pagara faction of PML.