ISLAMABAD, June 8: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has taken no decision yet about the issue of President Pervez Musharraf’s re-election by the sitting assemblies.

This was stated by MQM’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar here on Thursday.

Dr Sattar said that his party was discussing the matter with legal and constitutional experts on the issue and would make a final announcement soon.

He said that so far only the ruling PML had announced that it would support Gen Musharraf’s re-election but the MQM had given no assurance about it.

The MQM leader said that the PML and the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) were two extremes, adding that the ruling PML wanted re-election of Gen Musharraf while the ARD was totally opposed to the idea. He feared that the issue could plunge the country into a serious political crisis before the next elections.

Dr Sattar said that the political crisis could also sabotage next year’s general elections in the country. He said the MQM wanted to find a way out to resolve the possible political crisis.

The MQM leader said the Charter of Democracy, signed by former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif last month, contained nothing new. He said that all political parties should sign a “charter of provincial autonomy” to overcome the ongoing domestic crisis.

Dr Sattar announced that the MQM would take part in the next elections as a national party and it could hold talks with various parties on seat adjustments.

Referring to differences between Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and his party, he said the MQM believed that the situation could improve if Gen Musharraf intervened.