ISLAMABAD, April 24: The PML leadership in Islamabad has decided in principle to maintain the status quo in the party’s Sindh chapter for some time, sources told Dawn. A status quo in the provincial organization of party, the provincial PML leadership had been told, would go in favour of the party at least till the electioneering for the local government polls was completed, sources said requesting anonymity.

A group in the party supports immediate removal of the provincial leaders i.e., incumbent Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Ram as provincial president and sacked minister Imtiaz Sheikh as secretary-general. They say the party will greatly suffer in the local government polls if a decision on the issue is not taken.

It was also said that in the aftermath of Mr Sheikh’s sacking, a decision would be based on the prime minister’s inspection commission report, but later it was left for party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to take a decision.

Prime Minister Aziz and PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain have hinted that they had received a preliminary report, but did not disclose its contents.

Mr Hussain, however, had told reporters that allegations framed against the sacked minister had not been proved in the report, meaning that the commission has exonerated Mr Imtiaz.

The prime minister was under pressure from the Sindh chapter of the party for dissolving the party organization before the local government polls.

Earlier, it was presumed that the party leadership under pressure from the Sindh party cadres might take a decision before the local government elections.

As a result of consultations between President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Aziz and PML chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, it was decided that both the estranged Leaguers be asked to end venting their emotions in public.

A senior party leader confided to Dawn that the matter was still open for a decision to remove both the office-bearers, but a majority in the senior leadership was in favour of keeping it pending for some time. He said Shujaat Hussain might take a decision in consultation with the prime minister after his return from abroad.

The senior party leadership, however, was of the opinion that any grouping in the party now would create difficulties in the local government polls as every group would try to get his favourites return in the elections.