ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) chief Pir Pagara and PML (Junejo) president Hamid Nasir Chattha have indicated joining the anti-government grouping of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in formation of government, sources told Dawn on Sunday.

According to sources, Pir Pagara, whose party has five National Assembly members, will meet ARD chief Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan on Monday and Hamid Nasir is expected to accompany him.

Pir Pagara had developed serious differences with PML (Quaid-i-Azam) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain during a pre-election meeting in connection with reunification PML factions at Sindhri.

Keeping the fact in view that Chaudhry Shujaat has emerged the ‘king maker’ in the party by becoming parliamentary leader, the chances of Pagara’s meeting him or extending cooperation in formation of a coalition were remote according to sources.

However, a chance of cooperation between them could be possible if the power brokers decided to intervene and persuade the Pir to come to terms with Chaudhry’s, they said.

Meanwhile, the PML-Q after facing a setback in the efforts of making alliance with the MMA is faced with the daunting task of achieving sufficient numbers in the National Assembly and in this pursuit the position of Muttahida Qaumi Movement has emerged to be decisive.

The MQM’s tilt in the given circumstances could be towards the ARD but presence of the MMA and particularly its political foes in Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan may become a hurdle.

In that case, sources said, the MQM which needs the support from the establishment for exoneration of its leader Altaf Hussain would perforce join hands with the PML-Q.

Official Sources told Dawn that Shujaat Hussain had failed to articulate the case of four parties conference on Legal Framework Order as he was told in clear terms that no compromise on the president’s status, National Security Council and 58 (2-b) was possible.

Hence, Chaudhry Shujaat in his meeting with Jamaat chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed tried to convince him that the government and political parties should settle the LFO issue under the spirit of give and take.