ISLAMABAD: Retracting from his  statements made Saturday against the Chaudhrys of the Pakistan Muslim League – Q (PML-Q), the PPP stalwart from Gujrat and Federal Water and Power Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said on Sunday that the PML-Q was their ally and he respected its Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, DawnNews reported.

Mukhtar said that Chaudhry Shujaat was his old friend and was like an elder brother.

He said that the next elections would be contested according to the policies of the PPP. Adding that, “importance of local politics cannot be disregarded though.”

Showing displeasure with the PPP-PML-Q alliance on Saturday, Mukhtar had said “I will chase the Chaudhrys out,” but stopped short of saying from their alliance with the PPP. “I will do so as I can go to any extent to get the job done,” he had said.

The PML-Q on Saturday took a strong exception to Mukhtar’s statement suspecting that he might be on an ‘agenda’ to sabotage the PPP-PML-Q alliance.

“We will make sure that Mukhtar gives an explanation to his party leadership for speaking against the Q leadership,” a PML-Q spokesman told Dawn. Adding that, “Had the Q not been part of the coalition the PPP would not have been in power today. Mr Mukhtar is a minister today and he should owe this to the Q.”

PML-Q central information secretary Senator Kamil Ali Agha had told Dawn that Mukhtar’s statement reflected of his ‘defeated mind.’ “Through his statement he has revealed his future platform of politics other than PPP,” he had said.

Mukhtar was a strong contender for the slot of prime minister after the Supreme Court disqualified Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. But his way was reportedly blocked by the Chaudhrys.

Apart from this, Mukhtar’s row with PIA CEO-Chairman Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman (retired) cost him all important defence ministry along with the PIA chairmanship that made him unhappy with the leadership.

“In a recent meeting the Q leadership – Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi – had discussed about seat-adjustment formula in the next general elections but Mukhtar can turn out to be a major trouble for the alliance to remain intact,” a PPP leader said.

He said President Zardari could not afford annoyance of the Chaudhrys at this stage where his party was fighting on other fronts. “The party co-chairman will ensure that Mr Mukhtar does not repeat his utterances,” the PPP leader said.