LAHORE, Jan 31: A senior official of a sensitive agency has gone to Dubai for a fresh round of "reconciliation" talks with Pakistan People's Party (PPP)chairperson Benazir Bhutto, according to highly-placed official sources.

The sources said the government had decided to act fast in the wake of reports that Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had agreed to join hands with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in its anti- government campaign during a meeting with Qazi Husain Ahmad and Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Jeddah on the eve of Eidul Azha.

Fearing that the PPP, a partner of the PML-N in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), might also go along with the 'emerging alliance', the government decided to re-open the line of dialogue with Ms Bhutto, they said.

As a damage control measure, Makhdoom Amin Fahim was approached to announce PPP's lack of interest in the new grouping. The initial round of talks between the two sides broke down because of the heavy price the PPP was seeking.

It is reported to have demanded the office of prime minister for Asif Ali Zardari and that of Senate chairperson for Ms Bhutto. Asked why the PPP chairperson did not seek the prime ministership for herself, the sources said she had been told in categorical terms that the law barring holding of the office for more than two terms by any person would not be amended.

They would not give details of the new proposals carried by the director-general level officer to Dubai. However, they said that the party would be assured of its entry into the corridors of power in 2007 elections in case it cooperated with the present set-up and dissociated itself from any move against the government. Local PPP leaders confirmed that the official was holding talks with the chairperson in Dubai.