ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Monday said they had resolved their controversy on the hosting of the multi-party conference (MPC) by deciding that the PML-N would play host to the event, but invitations would be sent by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

Briefing reporters after a meeting with the PML-N leadership at the residence of PML-N President Raja Zafarul Haq, PPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim also announced that the MPC would be held in London on March 24 and 25.

The meeting started six hours behind schedule and lasted just 20 minutes. This was the sixth round of talks between the senior leaders of the two ARD parties in the past one month on the hosting of MPC and Ms Bhutto’s participation.

Although the issue of hosting and dates of the MPC have been finalised by the two parties, the PPP has still not confirmed the participation of Ms Bhutto. “Benazir Bhutto will attend the MPC or nominate a delegation,” said Mr Fahim in the presence of other participants of the meeting.

The PPP delegation comprised Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf and the Opposition Leader in the Senate, Raza Rabbani. The PML-N team comprised Raja Zafarul Haq, Secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, information secretary Ahsan Iqbal and the party’s leader in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Al Khan.

At the last meeting on Friday, the PML-N had set a three-day deadline for the PPP to come up with a reply about Ms Bhutto's participation in the MPC. The PML-N had told the PPP that it would convene the MPC by March 18 even without the participation of Ms Bhutto as it could not ‘afford further delay’.

The PML-N, however, agreed to extend the date on a PPP assurance that Ms Bhutto would try to attend it.

The PML-N had initially slated the MPC for mid-February, but later agreed to delay it on the PPP’s request.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif plans to use the multi-party conference to thrash out a strategy regarding the coming general election. However, the PPP leaders had expressed displeasure over, what they termed, a unilateral move and called for convening the MPC from the ARD’s platform.

According to sources in the PPP, Ms Bhutto is reluctant to attend the MPC owing to the expected presence of the leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA). They said Ms Bhutto did not want to enter into any agreement with the MMA because of its support to the Musharraf government over the 17th constitutional amendment.