ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has called another meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the emerging political situation and the election of prime minister, a reliable source told Dawn.

The source said this time only the NSC meeting has been called. It has been a precedence that the NSC and the federal cabinet meetings were held jointly.

Political analysts view the NSC meeting, called within an interval of two days, very important as the elections to the offices of the speaker and deputy speaker will clear to some extent the political situation and make a breakthrough in the stalemate continuing for the last five weeks after the elections.

The source said members of the federal cabinet have not been informed about the meeting except those who are also the members of the NSC.

President Musharraf has cancelled all his engagements because of the meeting and the members of the NSC have also been asked to cancel their other activities, the source said.

The NSC meeting has been called on the same day when speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly will be elected.

A joint meeting of the NSC and the cabinet was already held on Saturday when some 324 elected members of National Assembly took oath.

The NSC is likely to discuss the formation of new government and the election of prime minister after the elections of the speaker, deputy speaker and take some important decisions, the source said.

Different parliamentary parties and alliances can file nomination papers of their candidates for the slots of speaker and deputy speaker till 12 noon on Monday.

The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, an alliance of six religious parties, with the support of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, has nominated Maulana Fazlur Rehman as its candidate for the coveted office of prime minister, Liaquat Baloch for speaker and Hafiz Hussain Ahmed for deputy speaker slots. The other two main parliamentary parties, PML-Q and the PPP have not yet announced the name of their candidates.

Sources said that these parties and groups would hold their separate meetings on Monday to finalize their candidates for the three slots.

Parliamentary leader of the PPP, Makhdoom Amin Fahim has announced that his party will meet on Monday to choose their candidates for the offices of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker, respectively.

A decisive meeting of the GNA and MMA is likely to be held within 24 hours to take a decision on fielding joint candidates for the offices of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker.