ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League has stepped up efforts to unite various factions of the PML in order to stop the PPP from winning a large number of seats in the coming general elections, and according to sources in the party, Saturday’s meeting between Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and PML-F chief Pir Pagara was part of the efforts.

Informed sources said that ‘saner’ elements in the PML-N were interested in an understanding with the ruling PML for seat adjustments in Punjab and Sindh to jointly face the PPP onslaught.

“It may be difficult to achieve this Herculean task at this stage when animosities between the Chaudhrys and the Sharifs are at their peak, especially after the latter’s forced deportation to Saudi Arabia, but senior party leaders sincerely think that this is the only way to beat the PPP,” a senior ruling party leader revealed.

Encouraged by President Gen Pervez Musharraf at a recent meeting held at the Prime Minister’s House, the PML leadership has decided to use all options to unite the PML factions, the sources said.

In a recent TV talk show after President Musharraf’s praise for the PML and its coalition partners, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain declared that “from now there will be a tit for tat for the PPP as efforts for reconciliation have been sabotaged by the PPP leader”.

Mr Shujaat, the sources said, had requested Mr Pagara to take the initiative to unite all factions into a single electoral platform.

The sources said that in view of the threat posed by the PPP, Lt-Gen (retd) Majeed Malik, a PML-N old guard, recently contacted Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed, and said that unification of all factions of the PML was the only way to defeat the PPP. Talking to Dawn by telephone, Mr Malik said: “I sincerely feel and I have conveyed my feelings both to Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain that to achieve the ‘supreme interest of the nation’ they should take steps to unite all factions, including the one led by the Sharifs.

“All odds are against Pakistan, as all international intrigues are directed at destablising Pakistan and the forces which believe in ideological foundations of the country should join hands and fight against these conspiracies,” the PML-N leader said.

“We must shun our petty differences and think about saving the country from dangers to its solidarity.”