ISLAMABAD, July 5 The Pakistan Muslim League-Q appears destined to split into two factions on Tuesday when the party holds election for provincial councils.

A group led by Saleem Saifullah and Humayun Akhtar has vowed to oppose the election being held under what it calls an “unconstitutional general council” formed by the Chaudhrys of Gujrat to protect the 'supremacy' of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

There are indications that even if Chaudhry Shujaat manages to keep the party intact, some disgruntled members may join the PML-N, which is ready to welcome them in order to weaken the hold of the Chaudhrys on the party.

Political observers believe that the top PML-Q leadership and large-scale defections may lead to the downfall of the Chaudhrys and may even threaten the existence of the party which was formed under the patronage of former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

The two groups are at daggers drawn on the issue of election of Chaudhry Shujaat as the party chief for the third time.

The group opposed to Chaudhry Shujaat contends that constitution of the party does not allow anyone to become president for three consecutive terms.

“We have invited leaders of the disgruntled group to settle the issue through talks,” PML-Q Information Secretary Tariq Azeem said.

He said secretary-general of the PML-Q Mushahid Hussain had offered his seat to Mr Saifullah to resolve the issue.

About the controversy over Chaudhry Shujaat's re-election, Mr Azeem said some clauses in the party constitution empowered the president to amend it and, therefore, he might become president for a third term.

He said if anyone did not agree with a decision taken by the party chief, he could challenge it at an appropriate forum. He said it was not proper for some party leaders, lounging in a drawing room, to say that they opposed the decision of the party president.

Referring to the controversy regarding the formation of the party's general council, he said it had been formed through consent of the main leaders. “No party leader can re-model the general council according to his personal wishes,” Mr Azeem said.

Rejecting reports about former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf manipulating to grab the post of the party chief, he said “Under army rules, Mr Musharraf cannot enter politics before Nov 27 this year. He is obliged to keep himself away from such activities for two years from the date of his retirement.”

Humayun Akhtar said that neither he nor Mr Saifullah had received any offer for talks from Chaudhry Shujaat or Mushahid Hussain.

He said his group would not accept the results of the elections of provincial councils being held under the new general council.

Vowing to oppose Chaudhry Shujaat's re-election, he said contrary to party rules, he had not notified the general council a year ahead of its formation.

He said Arbab Ghulam Rahim, the president of PML-Q Sindh, had also sent a letter to Chaudhry Shujaat objecting to the decision about elections of the provincial councils.