LAHORE, Oct 15: Formation of a government in Islamabad remains a challenging task as none of the three major players — the PML(Q), the PPP and the MMA — has been able to break the ice and find common ground for mutual cooperation.

To bring the deadlock to an end and ensure a smooth transfer of power, some parties in the MMA have started advocating the need for a government of national consensus.

According to knowledgeable sources, the PML(Q) is not willing to join hands with the PPP despite the fact that Makhdoom Amin Fahim had approached PML(Q) leader Mian Azhar.

The MMA has reservations about both.

The PML(N), which has been defeated more comprehensively on Oct 10 than the PPP had been routed in the 1997 polls, has assured the MMA of its support, but in the prevailing situation it is of no consequence.

ARD president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan is opposed to any move for cooperation between the PPP and the PML(Q) on the plea that the two sides are poles apart as far as their stand on important political issues is concerned. He also sees no justification for the establishment of a government of national consensus as there was not on a single issue which could provide a basis for the heterogeneous entities to sit together.

Other ARD sources say that in case the PPP decides to join hands with the PML(Q), the 16-party alliance will cease to exist.

An important ARD meeting is due to be held in Islamabad on Thursday.

This will be preceded by a meeting of the heads of the MMA components. The participants will review the situation and decide how the coalition should take maximum benefit of the electoral victory it had not even dreamt of.

MMA sources say that the alliance is rather reluctant to extend cooperation to the PML(Q) as in such a case its voters may come up with a strong reaction.

As for Mr Fahim’s recent meeting with Jamaat-i-Islami leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the sources said that no headway had been made in the talks. The JI leader, who is also vice president of the MMA, had reportedly sought assurances that the PPP would not join hands with the PML(Q) and its legislators-elect would not take the oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order.

Mr Fahim was also told that before seeking cooperation, Benazir Bhutto should be asked not to repeat her accusations that the MMA had won the elections with the agencies’ support.

PPP’s acting secretary-general Mian Raza Rabbani does not agree with the suggestion that his party has made a departure from the ARD’s charter by trying to form government in coop-eration with the PML(Q).

“Formation of government is the right and prerogative of any parliamentary party which commands a substantial number of seats. The PPP has become second largest party,” he said while defending Mr Fahim’s contact with the PML(Q).

In reply to a question, he said PPP’s understanding with the PML(Q) was distant. Still, he added, in politics doors for dialogue could not be closed.

He said Mr Fahim was getting in touch with all parties to have a feel of what they have to say. Mr Rabbani said that so far the PPP had not entered into an alliance with the PML(Q), and the question of compromise on any principle would be relevant only when such a development had taken place.

However, he made it clear that the PPP’s position on constitutional amendments remained unchanged.

About the presidency of Gen Musharraf, the PPP leader argued that the general was de facto chief executive and president and “the PPP is trying to form government in the given reality”.

“Our position is that the office of the president has to be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution,” Mr Rabbani said.

About the future of the ARD, the PPP leader said that the alliance was still relevant as democracy had still not been restored. “The ARD has still a very important role to play.”