ISLAMABAD Dec 15: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League will not forge electoral alliance with any political party but will be ready to form a coalition government with any party, including the PPP Parliamentarians, after the elections.

Talking to Dawn at the PML House where he addressed a seminar on Balochistan, the PML chief dismissed speculations about a government deal with the PPP, terming it a mere rumour spread by the PPP itself.

He said leading ulema were helping the government maintain an indirect contact with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on the issue of the Protection of Women Act, adding that the government was contemplating to complete legislation on provincial autonomy before the elections.

He said that while the government was not in direct contact with the MMA, it was trying to arrive at an understanding with the alliance by consultations with leading ulema to create a consensus on the new women’s rights bill.

He said: “We appreciate MMA leaders’ decision for putting on hold their planned resignations from the National Assembly seats.”Referring to Balochistan, the PML chief said an NRB report would come up for discussion next week and “we will be able to go for legislation immediately after that”. He said the government was trying to introduce some changes in the constitution in sections relating to provincial autonomy before the next elections.

He said the party and the government were working on finalising a ‘consensus document’ on provincial autonomy so that necessary legislations could be readied before the elections.

Chaudhry Shujaat said that he was informally in contact with Baloch nationalist leaders to better understand their point of view.