ISLAMABAD, May 13: The heads of various factions comprising the ruling Pakistan Muslim League met here on Friday to vent their reservations about the party’s organization and exchanged views on issues to be discussed in the central executive committee’s meeting to be held on Saturday. PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said after the meeting that those who were spreading stories about differences in the PML would not succeed in their design as the party ‘remains united as ever’.

Chaudhry Shujaat later called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and discussed with him the organizational matters of the party, the forthcoming meeting of the central working committee and the ongoing National Assembly session. The meeting was attended by the party’s secretary-general Mushahid Hussain Sayed, former chief of the Millat Party Sardar Farooq Ahmed Leghari, former chief of PML-Jinnah Mian Manzoor Wattoo, PML-Zia’s Ijazul Haq and PML-Junejo’s Hamid Nasir Chattha.

It may be recalled that Pir Pagara’s PML-Functional had parted ways soon after its merger with the PML over policy differences with Chaudhry Shujaat. The meeting took place amid reports of ‘deep-rooted differences’ at the party’s top level and followed a meeting between President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry Shujaat.

All the factional heads except Mr Leghari expressed satisfaction at the meeting over the party’s affairs. Mr Wattoo and Mr Chattha said that former Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali was part of the CWC and added that if he did not turn up at the meeting on Saturday, they would visit him to persuade him to attend it.

Mr Wattoo said the party leaders had unanimity of views on all issues and they would address all challenges at Saturday’s meeting. In reply to a question, he said there were no differences on the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat. He disagreed with the suggestion that a hidden hand was fanning differences in the party.

Referring to the lack of accommodation of his faction in the party’s Punjab office-bearers, he said these issues would be discussed at the CWC meeting. Mr Chattha said the ‘Jamali-Shujaat differences’ had nothing to do with the party affairs. He said Mr Jamali could not leave him and added that he firmly stood by Mr Jamali.

Mr Ijazul Haq pointed out that the April 18 meeting of factional leaders had also reposed confidence in the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat. Answering a question, he said the CWC meeting scheduled for Saturday had not been notified yet, but added that those who would attend it would automatically become members of the future CWC.