ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Q held a second round of talks on Wednesday to discuss their electoral alliance and seat adjustment.
According to sources, the two sides also discussed the situation in Balochistan following resignation of Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. They agreed to continue dialogue to work out a seat adjustment formula and plan to achieve maximum success in the coming elections.
In Monday’s meeting, the PML-Q delegation led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had conveyed to the government team led by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf its ‘reservations’ over reports that some PPP members were trying to cause defections within the PML-Q, particularly in Punjab.
The PPP leaders rejected the reports and said they wanted their alliance with the PML-Q to continue.
President Asif Ali Zardari authorised Prime Minister Ashraf to hold talks with the PML-Q on seat adjustment after its leadership had refused to discuss the matters with PPP’s Punjab president Manzoor Wattoo and accused him of trying to cause defections in the party.
It alleges that after failing to woo potential winners from the PML-N and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, Mr Wattoo has started wooing PML-Q leaders to persuade them to join the PPP.
The sources said the two parties had differences on candidates in over 60 constituencies — both for the National Assembly and the Punjab Assembly. They claimed that the leaders had almost reached an understanding that their parties would contest the polls with their own election symbols.
