Shujaat due in city today for fresh efforts

Karachi
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is arriving in the city today to follow up his efforts to unite all factions of the Muslim League, except the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, and form a new political party to be called “Muttahida Muslim League”.
Hussain, who heads the PML-Q, will meet Pir Pagara, spiritual leader of the
Hurs and head of the PML-Functional. He will also meet former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and disgruntled PML-N leader and ex-chief minister Ghous Ali Shah.
In December last year, he had held a meeting with Musharraf and discussed ways to unite all factions of the Muslim League minus the ruling party of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Other previous meetings held with Pagara and Musharraf also had the same agenda, but, according to sources, they failed to choose the head of the Muttahida Muslim League.
The decision regarding who will lead the new party, either Shujaat or Musharraf, caused a delay in the announcement.
The decision is also difficult because the list of aspirants includes three former chief ministers, Syed Ghous Ali Shah, Liaquat Jatoi and Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.
However, the sources said on Thursday, the Muttahida Muslim League would be aimed at not only containing the Sharif government but also giving a tough challenge to the PTI and the PPP.
Hussain, who has been known for his political maneuvering, is making efforts to appease all disgruntled Muslim League leaguers in Sindh and Punjab, including Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa and Syed Ghous Ali Shah, who are having meetings to woo angry Muslim Leaguers opposed to Sharif’s policies, sources said on Thursday.
PML Q Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh said the decision to choose the head of the new party would be taken with a consensus.
He said that most likely the United Muslim League would be formed ahead of the local bodies elections due in October.