LAHORE, April 5: While the Musharraf League is not denying Musharraf-Imran contacts, it says efforts are under way to form a 'major alliance' of different political parties other than PPP and PML-N to give an alternate leadership.

“We have started making efforts to form an alliance of Mutahidda Quami Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) and breakaway factions of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in next general elections so that people have option other than PPP and PML-N,” Fawad Chaudhry, spokesman for Musharraf's APML, told Dawn. He said the people wanted an alternate leadership that could steer the country out of crises and address their problems.

To a question about rumours of Imran Khan's meeting with former army chief president Pervez Musharraf in London, Chaudhry said: “The party does not deny nor confirm about the meeting, however, it wants Mr Khan to join hands with us for the larger interest of the country. Imran was critical of Musharraf when the latter was a military chief now he is a politician.”

Chaudhry said several breakaway leaders of PML-Q were in contact with Gen Musharraf and had assured him of their support. “Shiekh Rashid had two meetings with Musharraf and S. M. Zafar and Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood are in London to see him,” he said.

The PTI, however, categorically denies saying no such meeting has taken place. “These are rumours. However, the PTI is open for a dialogue with any political party despite ideological differences,” PTI spokesman Omar Sarfraz Cheema said. He said Imran Khan was a credible leader the masses were looking up for salvage. To a question, Cheema said the PML-N was worried over the growing popularity of PTI. “The PTI will emerge a strong political force in the next elections,” he said.

Though some political leaders are reported to have meetings with Musharraf, no body is ready to admit it. Sheikh Rashid, president of Awami Muslim League, only confirmed that he had a “hand shake” with Musharraf in a wedding in Dubai a few months ago. “That was all about my meetings with the former army chief,” outspoken Rashid said. A senior leader of the PML-Q who wished not to be named said: “Only a politically naïve leaders can think joining hands with Musharraf seeing his popularity in Pakistan,” he said. “We have hardly managed to dissociate our party from the bad name Musharraf earned by attacking Lal Masjid. Those left us are also aware of this,” he added.

The PML-Q leader further said: “There is some sense if we talk about PML-Q-PTI-JI (Jamaat-i-Islami) alliance in future elections. The leadership of these three parties often meet and discuss the possibility keeping in view their less ideological differences,” he said, adding the MQM only believed in “post-election” alliance.

MQM's deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar has advised Musharraf to first organize his party before thinking of any alliance. “There is no bar on dreaming. The MQM wants to go along with like-minded parties,” he said.