Lahore, Oct 2 : The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has quietly started restoring its relations with the opposition parties, because hopes of the government and the PPP coming closer are quite dim with the Musharraf regime sitting on the demands of the party.

The PPP will finalise its strategy on October 3 in a meeting being convened in London, giving maximum time to the Musharraf regime to accept its demands before the presidential polls.

Since the PPP leadership is not hopeful for any quick result from the government, it has started sending positive feelers to the opposition leaders.

PPP’s Amin Fahim contacted PML-N senior leader Raja Zafarul-Haq. The two discussed the prevailing political situation especially with reference to the presidential election in which Fahim is a candidate.

Fahim also contacted Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman soon after filing his nomination papers as the presidential candidate to exchange notes and courtesies with him as an old friend and fellow parliamentarian.

The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) leaders expected that the PPP would come in their fold, because for them the deal, which Benzir Bhutto wanted with the government, was least practical to see the light of the day.

The opposition leaders including those who were earlier more suspicious about the PPP, also sounded positive and ready to welcome the PPP in its fold to broaden its movement once the party changes its mind, The Nation reported.

The paper said that Ghous Ali Shah from the PML-N and Rehman Malik from the PPP are the main link between the two parties.

Sources said that these two figures from both the parties could play a useful role in bringing the two parties closer again. (With inputs from ANI)