LAHORE, Jan 21: Unification of various factions of the Pakistan Muslim League, efforts for which have already been launched with a meeting of a Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) delegation with Functional Muslim League president Pir Pagara a couple of days back, is not going to be an easy task.
The leader of one of the factions proposed to be merged has already refused to accept Mian Azhar as chief of the unified party. On the other hand, sources say Pir Pagara is not ready to accept the title of patron-in-chief, being offered to him. He has pointed out that the party constitution provides for no such office.
The leader reluctant to accept Mian Azhar as president of the unified party told Dawn on Monday that nobody from the PML(QA) should be considered for the post. Maintaining that he himself was not a candidate for the top office, he said Pir Pagara was the most suitable person for the job.
Giving his opinion of Mian Azhar, the leader said before seeking the top post, he should let his colleagues know the services he had rendered for the party.
Sources close to the Pir said the spiritual leader would not accept an office which did not exist in the constitution. They said PML(QA) leaders had not met the Pir on their own. In fact, they had been sent to the Sindhi leader by some forces which play an important role in directing the politics.
It may be pointed out that Pir Pagara had taken the initiative for the unification of various PML factions by hosting a meeting at his Lahore residence in June last year. However, the efforts lost momentum as other factions did not show much interest.
The Pir has been proposing that PML factions desirous of unification should set up a committee comprising an equal number of representatives from each group. The committee can elect a new president. It is not clear whether the Pir still favours the formula.
The PML-N, which is being isolated, alleged on Monday that by unifying various factions the government wanted to influence the outcome of the elections.
The government, PML(N) chairman Raja Zafarul Haq told Dawn wanted its allies to have two thirds of the parliamentary seats so that all its actions could be indemnified. He said a majority would also be required to keep Gen Musharraf president for another five years.
The way the government was trying to unify various PML factions established without an iota of doubt, he said, that the general elections would neither be free nor fair. He predicted that efforts would also be made to cause defections from the PML(N).
He said his party would approach the electorate and request them to elect the best candidates.
Replying to a question, the PML(N) chairman said if the party was pushed to the wall, the possibility of forming an alliance with arch adversary, the Pakistan People’s Party, could not be ruled out.