ISLAMABAD, April 12: In a new move, PML (J) and PML (N) have decided to reunify, with the possibility of PML (F) also joining them.

An agreement to this effect was reached at during a meeting between PML(N) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq and PML(J) President Chaudhry Hamid Nasir Chattha, here on Friday.

The move appeared to have been launched after the recent meeting of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), chaired by Chattha in Islamabad the other day, which was divided over the question of supporting or opposing the referendum meant to elect Gen Pervez Musharraf as president for five more years after the October general elections.

The majority of the GDA participants had even proposed that the member parties should join the ARD while others opposed it and threatened to break away if referendum was not supported.

Earlier, it would be recalled, the PML(QA) had launched an effort for reunification of all factions, excluding the PML(N), and a party team of Mian Mohammad Azhar and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had met Pir Pagaro, chief of the PML(F), and Chattha.

However, that meeting met with failure as both of them rejected the proposal, criticising the PML(QA) for hobnobbing with the army regime by ditching their political rivals. The PML(QA) not only abandoned the efforts for reunification ever since but also shut the doors of future negotiations with both these factions.

Raja Zafarul Haq was assisted by party’s Additional Secretary-General Chaudhry Jafer Iqbal and Balochistan PML(N) Presi-dent Sardar Yaqub Nasir, the PML(J) delegation consisted of Sardar Asef Ahmed Ali and acting General Secretary Iqbal Dar.

According to the sources, both sides discussed in detail the issues relating to the current political situation and possibilities of uniting all the political forces on one platform. Both sides observed that reunification of various factions of the PML would be beneficial to the country’s future politics. Raja Zafarul Haq told Dawn that Chattha not only offered to reunify his faction but also said he had the mandate of PML (F) as well.

Both the PML factions agreed that a committee of two members from each faction be constituted which should prepare recommendations on ways and means of reunification of these groups at the earliest.

While Chattha nominated Sar-dar Asef Ahmed Ali and Iqbal Dar from his side Zafarul Haq said he would nominate members from his side after consulting the party. Chattha, who had left Nawaz faction due to personal differences, said he had been given mandate by the GDA to announce the policy whether to support or oppose the referendum.