KARACHI, Oct 20: With the decision of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q to form its government in the centre, its local leadership has also jumped into the fray to cobble together all forces except the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians in the Sindh Assembly, to lead the coalition government.

However, the outcome of the meeting to take place between the leadership of the PML-Q and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement here at “Nine zero”, Azizabad, on Monday will determine who is going to lead the coalition government in Sindh.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who is the parliamentary party leader of the PML-Q in the centre, will be in Karachi on Monday to meet MQM leaders to muster support for the party in the centre and in the province.

In this connection the initial parleys have already been held with the leaders of the National Alliance led by Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari and veteran leader Ajmal Khattak.

The PML-Q, according to reliable sources, has been exploring the possibility to field Ghous Bakhsh Mehar and Papoo Shah as its candidate to lead the coalition government in Sindh.

When Ghous Bux Mehar was asked if he had been in touch with other groups for mustering their support for his candidature, he said the party had to decide who should be fielded for the job. However, he said, as the practice had been, the provincial government could only be formed after the federal government was inducted.

To another question, he said that the party had vested powers in the person of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to hold political talks with parties in the assembly to muster their support and it was up to him to take any one along with him for talks with MQM leaders. The sources said that the PML-Q leadership had some reservation about Muzaffar Hussain Shah, who is the nominee of PML(F) for the top slot.

Asked if the PML-Q had considered the possibility to name an MQM man for the job, all options could be discussed when Chaudhry Sahib would meet MQM leaders.

In the recently held elections for 130 general seats, according to un-official results, the PPP has 51 seats, the MQM 32, the PML-Q 11, the PML-F 10, the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal eight, the National Alliance 12, the Mohajir Qaumi Movement one, and independents 5.

Some insiders of the PML-Q told Dawn that their party leaders already had held first round with all the groups except the PPP, and they were wiling to extend cooperation to the PML-Q, and if Monday’s talks turned out fruitful, the PML-Q’ s coalition would have the strength of 79 members.

However, before the finalisation of the name for the leader of the House, an understanding has to be reached with the

leaders of the MQM, and Monday’s meeting between the MQM and the PML-Q is likely to finalise all matters in this regard.

At the moment the situation stands fluid as no single party enjoys required majority in the centre and Sindh. The initiative remains with the “powers that be” in Islamabad, where on Sunday a meeting between the representatives of the MQM and the authorities reportedly took place.

Meanwhile the MMA Sindh, which met here on Sunday, has kept all its options open by forming a five-member committee under the chairmanship of Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, to remain in touch with other parties on the question of the formation of the coalition government in Sindh.

The meeting, which started at 11 am, continued its deliberations till 5 pm and reviewed the overall situation against the backdrop of initial talks with other groups on the formation of the government.

While reviewing reports of election riggings in different constituencies in urban centres and rural areas, the meeting decided to take other complaints also to the Election Commission and ask for recounting in the constituencies where the results have become contentious.

The meeting also took the decision to nominate MMA chief Allama Shah Ahmad Noorani as the consensus candidate from for the Senate, it is learnt.