ISLAMABAD, May 31: The merger of Pakistan People's Party (Sherpao) and the Pakistan People's Party-Patriots will take place after a joint meeting of the general councils of the two parties here on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the two parties had agreed to the office-bearers of the unified party, which they were planning to name as the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Though the members of the Patriots and the PPP-S were reluctant to disclose names of the new office-bearers, Dawn has learnt through sources that Rao Sikandar Iqbal is being made chairman, Aftab Sherpao as president and Faisal Saleh Hayat as the secretary-general of the new party. Dr Sher Afghan is also likely to be given an important office, the sources said.

The sources said it had been decided that office-bearers at the provincial level would be appointed later. Talking to reporters after adjournment of the National Assembly session here on Monday, chief of the PPP-S and Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said the general councils of the two parties would hold their separate meetings on Tuesday morning and then there would be a joint meeting of the two councils in the afternoon.

He refused to comment when asked whether this merger was being taken place on the directive of President Gen Pervez Musharraf. He remained silent when reporters congratulated him on his appointment as the president of the new party after the merger.

When asked whether they had approached the Election Commission (EC) for registration of the new party, Mr Sherpao said they would follow the existing rules and regulations while naming the new party.

Meanwhile, the leaders of both the parties remained busy in consultations when they gathered at the residence of Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal on Monday night.