LAHORE, Dec 1: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan has hinted at inclusion of the MMA in the government and termed differences with the MQM temporary.

“All issues, except one, have been resolved in talks with the MMA. With the formation of a joint PML(Q)-MMA government in Balochistan, I am hopeful that the negotiations would remain successful,” the minister said at a press conference here at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday, ruling out the possibility of a deal with the PPP.

Mr Khan said MQM’s dissociation from the government was not permanent. It also did not mean that the government had lost its raison d’etre.

He said negotiations with the MQM were still on and hopefully the differences would soon be resolved. In fact, no political party in the parliament wanted disruption of the democratic setup, he said.

The minister said the ruling PML-Q could put aside its differences with others for the solidarity of the country, but it had come to power through an anti-PPP vote bank. “Our objection to Nawaz Sharif was that he had gone closer to the PPP while abandoning us and the country. Because of the anti-PPP vote bank, there is no plan at the moment to include the PPP in the government,” he said.

He said the prime minister would have no problem in securing a vote of confidence within 60 days of his election.

Replying to a question about the president’s uniform, he said it was his party which had played a major role in reviving democracy within three years of the establishment of a military government. “This is a transitional period and reversion to full democracy normally takes some time,” he said.

“There is no harm if the president is still wearing his military uniform. Removal of the uniform would depend on how the politicians handle their mutual affairs,” he said.

Replying to a question about inclusion of people facing NAB charges in the government, the minister said none of them was a convict. Revival of democracy did not mean restoration of the “free for all” era. Whoever was convicted by courts would have to face the music, he said and added, the government would not favour anybody in this regard.

He said cases had been instituted against Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari during the Nawaz Sharif government. The Supreme Court had sent one of these case to the high court for retrial, which, however, could not be done because of Benazir’s absence, he recalled.

When asked about Defence Minister Rao Sikandar’s statement about chances of Ms Bhutto’s return to the country, the minister said the matter would be discussed if it was tabled at a cabinet meeting. So far, it was only a press statement, he added.

Replying to a question about Mian Azhar’s objection to the federal cabinet, he said ministries had been allocated according to the mandate. The PML-Q could have had all the ministries if it were in the majority.

Earlier, Mr Khan said he would visit the US soon after Eidul Fitr to get Pakistan’s trade quota enhanced. During talks with the American trade secretary, he would also try to get the exported Pakistani goods released, which had been stuck up there because of the quota reduction.