ISLAMABAD, Oct 30: The chances of a coalition government between the ARD components — the PPP and PML-N — and the MMA dimmed on Wednesday when Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan failed to woo the MMA leaders on the proposal.

The MMA leaders told the veteran politician that the four parliamentary parties’ moot had on Tuesday decided to discuss with the government the issues concerning the LFO through Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and they would abide by the decision.

Inside sources told Dawn that the MMA leadership had expressed resentment over Nawabzada’s keeping away from the Tuesday’s moot and informed him that now the alliance was committed to the six-point declaration issued by the parliamentary groups.

The MMA leaders told the ARD chief that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had been assigned to coordinate with the government in getting “concessions and changes” on the Legal Framework Order and the constitutional amendments and they would wait for his reply after he would have talked to the government side.

Nawabzada Nasrullah, who was authorized by the ARD on Tuesday to negotiate with the MMA on the formation of a coalition, held talks with MMA president Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Samiul Haq, Liaquat Baloch and Pir Ijaz Hashmi.

Later, talking to newsmen, the Nawabzada said: “We have held talks and we will continue our negotiations in the future”.

He said he and the MMA leaders had discussed constitutional matters and “we have found identity of views on the subject”.

When asked why he had missed the parliamentary parties’ meeting hosted by the MMA on Tuesday, he said: “We were stuck up with the ARD meeting till late and had sent our representatives to the (MMA) meeting”.

In reply to a question, Qazi Hussain Ahmed said: “We talked on the constitutional package”.

Liaquat Baloch told newsmen that the MMA had made it clear to the Nawabzada that the alliance would not turn back on its stance on issues concerning the constitutional amendments. He explained that the confusion was brimming only because of the delay in the convening of assemblies.

“Once the assembly is summoned and the members have taken the oath all matters, including the election of speaker and prime minister, will automatically be resolved without any hurdle,” said Mr Baloch.

He said they had agreed that negotiations on contentious matters could be continued even during the session.