LAHORE, Dec 18: Differences between Functional Muslim League President Pir Pagara and PML chief Chaudhry Shujaat Husain remain unresolved despite the former's assurance to Gen Pervez Musharraf that he will join the ruling party.

Pir told Dawn on Saturday that he would deal only with President Musharraf and have nothing to do with the ruling party. He said that since the PML had no following in Sindh, the Functional Muslim League would be calling the shots in the province.

Pir and Chaudhry Shujaat developed serious differences long ago and all efforts made so far to resolve them have yielded no positive results.

The Sindhi leader said his cooperation to President Musharraf was "conditional".

"Were I to join the ruling party unconditionally, I would not have parted company with it in the first place", he said.

He said since it had been agreed upon that he would be dealing with President Musharraf alone, he had little interest in knowing who headed the ruling party or how it was run.

He said the party of Chaudhry Shujaat had no standing in Sindh and, therefore, the authority to take decisions in the province would rest with his party.

Shujaat: PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain would soon address workers and women's conventions to be organized at district headquarters ahead of local elections.

Shujaat told this to a number of delegations who called on him on Saturday when he resumed normal political activity after his treatment.

Ministers, legislators and party office-bearers met the ruling party chief and exchanged views with him on the prevailing situation.

Many of them said the ruling party president should visit their districts.

Shujaat directed the women leaders to complete organizational structure before the local elections. He said they should also mobilize the female voters for the local polls which in his opinion would enable the political parties to fathom their popularity.