Zardari for national govt after Feb 18

Lahore, Feb 14 : The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would form a "government of national consensus" if his party emerges victorious in the February 18 elections, party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said.

"I think a dilemma that the military government has put Pakistan in today leaves us no choice, but to try and get together with all the political forces," Zardari told a foreign news agency. He went on to say that he had taken a position that the PPP should form a government of "national consensus with everybody." Zardari said that there was no other option to get the country together, "but in the grief and in unity to face the problems that we are facing today," the Dawn reported.

According to sources, Zardari and former premier Nawaz Sharif's talks were inconclusive as Sharif was not ready to work with President Pervez Musharraf, while Zardari remained non-committal. "He said the party would decide whether to work with Musharraf or not," a PPP source quoted Zardari as telling Sharif.

ANI