ISLAMABAD, May 1: Senior Vice-President of Millat Party Javed Jabbar has opposed the decision taken by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) regarding the party's merger with Pakistan Muslim League (PML) after its unification.

Talking to Dawn by telephone on Saturday, Mr Jabbar said the NEC had taken the decision at a time when he was out of the country to attend the Asia Media Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He said he would not be joining the PML as part of this proposed merger. He said he would be visiting Islamabad next week and hold a meeting with the Millat Party president, Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, to express his dismay over the decision.

Responding to a question regarding his relationship with Mr Leghari, Mr Jabbar said: "There is no bitterness, and I hope the relationship will remain the same."

When asked as to what in his opinion were the factors behind proposed merger of the Millat Party with the PML, he said this question should be asked from those who had agreed to this merger plan. "As far as my decision is concerned, it is an independent decision," he added.

Earlier, Mr Jabbar also issued a press statement in which he explained the reasons for opposing the merger plan. He stated that the NEC meeting, in which the decision was taken was held on April 19 in Islamabad when he was overseas in connection with the Asia Media Summit in Malaysia.

"Before my departure for overseas on April 16, I was informed on telephone from Lahore about the proposed merger by Mr Leghari," he said. "It was my understanding that the decision regarding the merger would be taken after a further meeting of the NEC, followed by a meeting of the National Council of the Millat Party which is the supreme forum for such decisions."