LAHORE, Nov 12: Chaudhry Shujaat Husain has advised the party leadership to constitute parliamentary boards at the central and provincial levels to select candidates for the general elections due to be held in October next year.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday, the PML(QA) leader said the boards should select candidates for 60 per cent constituencies, leaving the remaining 40 per cent seats for adjustments with other parties.

He said he would move the proposal at a meeting of the party’s central working committee due to be held in Islamabad on Nov 16.

The meeting has been called to discuss the party’s organizational matters and the situation in Afghanistan.

The former interior minister said candidates selected now would get enough time to muster support from the voters in their respective constituencies.

He said President Musharraf was determined to hold the polls according to the Supreme Court directions.

Chaudhry Shujaat said his party was making necessary preparations to be able to win maximum number of seats.

As for alliance with other parties, he said he had decided in principle to form election alliance with the Sindh Democratic Alliance (SDA). A similar understanding, he said, had already been reached with the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT).

He said religious parties were natural allies of his party and all possible efforts would be made to take them along.

In his opinion, the ARD was about to disintegrate because of serious differences among its component parties. Once the alliance of heterogeneous parties fell apart, he said, the PML(QA) would examine the possibility of forming election alliance with some of them.

He said his party would soon hold formal talks with the Awami National Party of Isfandyar Wali.

Replying to a question, Chaudhry Shujaat said there was lack of unity and coordination in the PML(QA) and there was a need for steps to promote it.