Shujaat's party open to merger with Muslim League-N

Lahore: Pakistan Muslim League (Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said his party would accept the suggestion by veteran journalist Majid Nizami regarding the unification of PML-Q and PML-N in the national interest.

At a seminar to commemorate 103rd anniversary of Muslim League, hosted by Nizami in Lahore, Shujaat said a golden opportunity to unite the leagues had been lost after the February 18 general elections.

"My party is open to suggestions on ways to unite the leagues and we'll accept the suggestion made by Nizami in this regard," Shujaat said.

Nizami, a veteran journalist and editor-in-chief of Nawa-i-Waqt group is considered close to both Sharif and Shujaat. "Had Nawaz listened to good advice on February 18, he would have been president of Pakistan now," Shujaat said.

He said the country's political environment warranted unification of the leagues for national interest. "There was no victimisation campaign against the Sharifs when they were out of the country and when Chaudhry Pervez Elahi was chief minister of Punjab, but, now PML-Q workers and Nazims [district administrators] are being hounded," Shujaat added.

Nizami said if the two leagues were not united the elections in march would go in the favour of Pakistan Peoples Party.

"Nawaz Sharif should accept unification with open heart and embrace the old friends in the name of national interest," said 84-year-old Nizami.

"I have already spoken to leaders of other Muslim Leagues and others, including Pir Pagaro, agree to unification," said Nizami.

The ruling party in Punjab Pakistan Muslim League-N staged a huge anti-Israel demonstration at The Mall yesterday afternoon.