LAHORE, Dec 10: Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal said on Tuesday that the P-5’s point of view about the need for a coalition in the country would stand vindicated in case talks between Makhdoom Amin Faheem and Prime Minister Jamali culminated in cooperation between the two sides.

Speaking at a news conference at his residence, he answered in the affirmative when a reporter asked if he would play any role in making the PPP-government talks more meaningful.

MNA Azhar Ahmad Khan Yousafzai from NA-170 (Vehari) announced joining of the P-5 on the occasion.

Rao Sikandar said the P-5 was not a separate entity and it was still a part of the PPP. He reiterated that the P-5 leaders regarded Ms Bhutto as their leader.

He told a questioner that the group would stay intact till the return of Ms Bhutto.

The minister claimed that Ms Bhutto would accept her back to the party fold on her return to the country.

He claimed that a forward bloc would also be set up in the Sindh Assembly. However, he said, for the time being he was not in a position to give the number of MPAs who would join it.

He made it clear that the P-5 was not in contact with Jamiluz Zaman, the son of PPP chairman Amin Faheem.

Replying to a question, he said the P-5 would be given representation in the Punjab cabinet.

He alleged that some leaders had hijacked the PPP in the absence of Ms Bhutto and the P-5 had been set up in reaction to this act.

Rao Sikandar claimed that the PPP leaders and workers would get relief as a result of the P-5’s presence in the cabinet.

Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmad, Syed Asad Murtaza and Abdul Rashid Bhatty were also present at the news conference.

Sources close to Rao Sikandar claimed that about half a dozen more MPAs would join the P-5 in a few days. — Staff Reporter