ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: A last-minute cancellation of a meeting of the Grand National Alliance on Saturday came not only as a surprise to some key members of its component parties but also reflected the arduous task Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is facing to muster support of 172 members in the 342-seat National Assembly.

The formal announcement of Mir Zafarullah Jamali’s candidature for the prime ministership was to be made at the meeting jointly by the leaders of the GNA, a loose grouping of pro-government parties formed before the Oct 10 elections.

Pakistan Muslim League-Q president Mian Mohammad Azhar had to come down from Lahore to Islamabad to attend the GNA meeting and a planned joint press conference, but was informed at the last minute about the change of plan, party sources said. The GNA meeting was later scheduled for Monday.

A key PML member, when asked to comment on the sudden cancellation of the GNA meeting, said he had no clue whatsoever.

“Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is keeping cards close to his chest,” he said. However he further said: “There is more to it than meets the eye.”

The unilateral announcement of Zafarullah Jamali’s name as a prime ministerial candidate of PML-Q coupled with the failure to get some assurances from the military government regarding LFO as sought by MMA made things even more difficult for Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

The nomination without consulting the other GNA component parties holding a key in the numbers’ game raised a quite a few eyebrows.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Illahi on Saturday met National Alliance leader Farooq Leghari.