PML-Q President Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain separately met with President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday, and had extensive discussions with them for working out a formula to be followed in the election year and later in the general election.

No official version was available about the details of discussions, as Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was busy with the post-surgical care of his cousin and central leader of the PML-Q Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, who underwent surgery in London. The two ruling leaders also inquired about the health of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Well-placed sources told The News that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had developed a broad understanding with the PPP leadership that the PML-Q would support the PPP for the formation of government in the Centre while the PPP would assist the PML-Q for forming the government in the Punjab.

The PPP is keen to win the support of religio-political groups for the elections. The PPP is eying the support of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has become an effective force in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to an official announcement, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the PML-Q chief, called on Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here at the PM House on Tuesday and discussed the current political situation with him. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that the PML-Q would continue to be a partner of the PPP for safeguarding and strengthening of democracy in the country.

The prime minister thanked the PML-Q chief for the conduct of his party’s provincial legislators and PPP members of the Punjab Assembly during the budget speech in the Punjab Assembly.