ISLAMABAD, Sept 6: Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is reported to have severely criticised the likely deal between President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan People’s Party.

At a meeting with the party’s old guard at his residence, he said that time was fast running out for the deal and the required constitutional amendments because all the major demands of Benazir Bhutto were going to be rejected.

He said the PPP’s demands for dissolution of local governments ahead of general elections, repeal of Article 58(2)b and allowing her a third term to become the prime minister had been rejected in the ongoing talks. And the decision of President Musharraf hanging up his uniform would be taken by the president himself.

He said that all issues would be discussed threadbare by the PML central executive committee on Saturday.

Later, accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi, the PML president called on Gen. Musharraf to inform him that the old guard had reservations over the deal as they feared it would put the PPP in the driving seat.

The PML’s old brigade appears to be waking up, albeit belatedly, to warn against the adverse effects of the deal on the party.

The leadership is of the firm opinion that any deal which gave the PPP an upper hand in the next general elections would be disastrous for the PML, warning of its disintegration.

Some of the senior Leaguers, sources said, made it clear that they were against the terms on which the deal was being struck.

The leaders included former federal minister Lt. Gen. (Retd) Majid Malik, Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Jatoi, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Salim Saifullah Khan, party secretary general Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Gohar Ayub Khan and Maqbool Sheikh from Sindh.

Mr Jatoi, who had spoken against the ensuing deal at a meeting on Wednesday, reiterated his stand. He and Maqbool Sheikh made it clear that their clans, along with the Mahers, would not accept any deal with the PPP. They also said they would not seek party tickets in the coming polls.

Mr Jatoi said that cooperation with the PPP would cause the PML’s disintegration.

The participants also pointed out that legislators of the party were switching over to the PML (Nawaz) one by one in protest against Gen. Musharraf’s decision to contest the presidential election in uniform and giving a number of concessions to the PPP.

Mr Jatoi informed the PML chief that Federal Minister for Narcotics Ghaus Bakhsh Maher had already established contacts with the PPP while the Jatois, including brothers and sons of G.M. Jatoi, would not cooperate with the party and would contest the polls as independent candidates.

Gen (retd) Majid Malik, who generally keeps a low profile, also opposed the deal because, in his view, it would lead to the collapse of the PML.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq, accompanied by Gen (Retd) Majid Malik, met the PML chief separately and discussed issues relating to the talks with the PPP. Mr Haq is also a strong opponent of the talks and has threatened to part ways with the coalition if such a deal was struck.