Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and leader of her party, on Thursday night met Fazl-ur-Rehman, a Islamic cleric and discussed the possibility of forming a "government of national consensus".

Representatives of both leaders were due to meet again on Friday evening for more discussions.

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) won most seats in the Feb. 18 election, but not enough to rule alone. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, came second.

Zardari has called for a coalition government made up of all parties except Musharraf's main ally, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), which suffered a humiliating defeat in the polls.

"We support the idea of a government of national consensus because it is in the interest of the country and nation," Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, a close aide to Rehman, told Reuters.

"No party can address the problems of the country alone," said Haideri, who is leading his side in the talks with the PPP.

The PPP is already in talks with Sharif's party on the formation of a coalition.

Haideri said his party, which has seven seats in the National Assembly, would vote to rescind Musharraf's power to dismiss the government and for the abolition of a National Security Council formed by Musharraf to oversee the affairs of the government.

Important U.S. ally Musharraf seized power in a 1999 coup when he was army chief.

Reuters

Güncelleme Tarihi: 29 Şubat 2008, 18:29