ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday held consultations with the Pakistan Muslim League leadership on the issue of caretaker government, general elections and government’s possible response to the Supreme Court verdict on petitions challenging his eligibility to be presidential candidate.

Sources said the meeting held at the president’s camp office decided in principle that the caretaker prime minister would be a non-controversial person, an honest retired judge, a technocrat or politician acceptable to all.

The sources said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, secretary general Mushahid Hussain Sayed, some federal ministers, senior party leaders and president’s aides attended the meeting.

The PML team, the sources said, voiced reservations about negotiations with the Pakistan People’s Party on the caretaker set-up and gave its own point of view.

Later, the president attended a dinner meeting held the Prime Minister’s House. It was attended by senior PML leaders as well as government’s legal and political advisers.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Aziz presided over a meeting of the PML policy planning group which discussed government’s response to Supreme Court’s observations about the involvement of the prime minister in flouting its orders and hindering return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The sources said that the meeting, which was also attended by Attorney General Malik Qayyum, discussed various steps to address the situation which had been created by the statement of the foreign secretary in the apex court on a contempt petition relating to the deportation of Mr Sharif.

The possibility of allowing Mr Sharif to return under certain conditions was also discussed to satisfy the Supreme Court and to avert a political show of strength by the PML (N) and other opposition parties.

An official handout issued at the end of the meeting said: “The PML policy planning group reiterated its full support for President General Pervez Musharraf and congratulated him for securing support from all the provinces having obtained 98 per cent of the votes cast.

“The group further stressed that the democratic process under way must not be disturbed at any cost and the transition of power must be ensured in a peaceful manner.

“The meeting was attended by members of the policy planning group including PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and secretary general Mushahid Hussain Sayed as well as chief ministers of Sindh and Punjab.

“Addressing the meeting, the prime minister said that the PML has the best of candidates for every constituency and would contest the forthcoming elections with the confidence and determination to obtain a clear mandate.