Islamabad, Mar. 22 :The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) formally parted ways with the Palistan Muslim League-Quami (PML-Q) on Saturday by announcing withdrawal of its candidate for premiership in favour of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate.

A report in the Dawn said that the announcement came after a meeting between senior MQM leaders and PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at the latter's residence here.

Terming the decision “final” and taken in “larger interest of the people of Sindh”, Dr. Farooq Sattar told reporters that the MQM would now support the PPP candidate for the top slot, saying that this step would “help bridge the gulf between people of urban and rural Sindh.”

PPP Chairman Bilal Bhutto Zardari is expected to announce the name of his party's prime ministerial candidate later tonight, and indications at present are that Yousuf Raza Gilani could be the person named for the post.

Though Hussain endorsed the MQM decision, the body language of PML-Q leaders present on the occasion suggested tension and uncertainty about their party's immediate political future.

“We welcome the MQM decision keeping in view the negative and undemocratic trends already emerging in Sindh. Only today, a false FIR of murder has been lodged against our leader Sardar Ghous Bakhsh Khan Mehr. In this scenario, we greet the MQM decision even if they join the government in larger interest of their people. As they are our friends, we hope that being a part of treasury, they would resist any negative and undemocratic move against our leaders,” said Shujaat Hussain.

Hussain, however, made it clear that the PML-Q would take its decision whether or not to field its candidate for the top slot.

“We have convened a party meeting and final decision would be taken in the meeting,” he said. Sattar said: “Both the PML-Q and MQM have been friends and would remain so even if the PML-Q brings its own candidate and we do not caste our vote in its favour.”

Senators Mohammad Ali Durrani and Mushahid Hussain Sayed , Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, Amir Muqam, and Tariq Azeem assisted the PML-Q president during the talks while the MQM delegation included Haider Abbas Rizvi, Iqbal Mohammad Khan and Abdul Wasim.(ANI with inputs)