ISLAMABAD, July 5: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) will ask the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership to clarify its position regarding reports that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is negotiating with the regime to move out of Saudi Arabia. The PPP leadership said they were observing political development with reference to Mr Nawaz Sharif’s reported plan to leave Saudi Arabia.

It may be mentioned here that PML-N chief formally applied for renewal of his passport on Saturday. This move is being seen against the backdrop of a recent visit of President Pervez Musharraf to Saudi Arabia as there are reports that the Saudi authorities have been pressurizing the Pakistan government to allow Nawaz Sharif to return to the country.

When contacted, PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that he was not in a position to make any detailed comment as things were still not clear. He, however, said the party would definitely raise the issue in the next meeting of the ARD.

“We will bring it up with the PML-N in the ARD meeting as they (PML-N leaders) have been raising similar reports concerning the PPP in the Alliance’s meetings,” Mr Babar said.

A senior PPP leader, on condition of anonymity, said it seemed that Gen Musharraf was desperate to have support of either the PPP or the PML-N due to domestic and international pressure. He was of the view that Gen Musharraf tried hard to have reconciliation with the PPP and after getting a cold response from Benazir Bhutto, he had now decided to woo the PML-N. He said it could even be an attempt of Gen Musharraf to divide the ARD.

On the other hand, PML-N information secretary Siddiqul Farooque denied that his party was busy in striking a deal with the regime. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had himself denied the reports that he was planning to return to Pakistan under a deal with the rulers, he said.

About the doubts raised by the PPP, Mr Farooque said issuance of a passport to Nawaz Sharif was a different issue and it should not be taken as a reconciliatory step. He said the PML-N had sought clarification from the PPP in the past when its several leaders, including Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari, had openly stated that they were holding dialogues with the government.

However, he said, if the PPP leaders had any doubts they had the right to seek explanation from PML-N as both the parties were partners in the ARD and committed to work together for the revival of 1973 Constitution. He said it was the fundamental and constitutional right of Nawaz Sharif to get his passport and on this issue he even had support of Benazir Bhutto.

Mr Farooque said the PML-N did not want to talk to the regime as it would amount to compromising on the party’s six-year long struggle for restoration of democracy. He said Nawaz Sharif was ready to offer any sacrifice for the cause of democracy.